Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

Learn from past Buildner architecture competition participants through our extensive project library, curated over more than 15 years!

Hinoki Wood Retreat Featuring Grounded Container Design

Authors:
Piyaporn Wadkhien, Chawakorn Hongthong, Phimpakanit Parisanyuthanont, Sorasith Butsingkorn
Hinoki Wood Retreat Featuring Grounded Container Design
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed from a shipping container and enriched with Hinoki wood, this retreat offers a serene environment for meditation and introspection, balancing the calming qualities of its enclosed lower level with the uplifting experience of its light-filled upper area.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed using a repurposed shipping container for structural durability.
02
Features Hinoki wood for its aromatic qualities and tactile warmth.
03
Two distinct zones offer contrasting experiences of solitude and light.
04
The ground floor emphasizes calmness with solid walls enclosing the space.
05
Large glass elements enhance natural light flow and connection to the environment.

The Container Meditation Cabin is a carefully designed retreat that aims to blend with its natural surroundings. This structure serves as a place for introspection and meditation, allowing users to experience two contrasting environments within its walls. The design concept promotes a journey from darkness to light, encouraging visitors to reflect and rejuvenate in a peaceful setting.

Spatial Configuration

The cabin features two distinct zones that cater to different emotional needs. The ground floor is known as the Silent Area & Spa Area, which is enclosed by solid walls. This setting fosters an intimate and calming atmosphere, ideal for moments of personal reflection and relaxation. The thoughtful layout emphasizes solitude and creates a nurturing environment for mindfulness.

In contrast, the Light Connecting Area and Meditation Area occupy the second floor. This open space connects users with natural light, creating a cheerful and uplifting ambiance. The experience changes dramatically as one moves between the two levels, highlighting the contrast between introspection and the joyful engagement with sunlight.

Materiality and Aesthetics

Material choices play a crucial role in shaping the comfort and usability of the cabin. The primary structure is made from a shipping container, offering strength and flexibility in design. Inside, Hinoki wood is used for its pleasant scent and warmth, enhancing the sensory experience. Glass elements have been integrated to allow natural light to flow through the spaces, further enriching the overall atmosphere of the cabin.

Detailing and Integration

Design details illustrate a thoughtful approach to transitioning between spaces. Users move smoothly from the quiet ground floor to the bright upper level, with each area offering its own unique experience. The connection between the cabin and its environment is evident in the way the building responds to its landscape. The relationship between solid walls and glass surfaces emphasizes both privacy and openness, enhancing the experience as one navigates through the cabin.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

Enter an open architecture
competition now

The Home of 
Shadows
The Home of Shadows
The light studies. Edition #4
The Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2026
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2026
100,000€ Prize / 2026

The Next House: USA — A Global Call to Reimagine the American Suburb

`
Competition organisers

Buildner is launching The Next House: USA, a global architecture competition that challenges architects, designers, and thinkers to reimagine the American suburban home for the 21st century. For decades, the suburban house has symbolized comfort and stability, but today it often reflects excess, isolation, and environmental strain. This competition asks: how can the American home evolve to address climate urgency, economic pressures, and shifting social values?

Participants are tasked with designing a prototype home of no more than 1,500 sq ft (≈140 m²) for a household of two adults and one child. The design should be compact yet generous, adaptable, sustainable, affordable, and replicable across diverse U.S. contexts. More than a design exercise, the competition aims to spark a conversation about how homes can support healthier, smarter, and more connected communities.

The total prize fund is $20,000 USD. The final registration deadline is May 20, 2026, and winners will be announced on September 22, 2026. The Next House: USA invites architects, students, and visionaries worldwide to redefine what the American home means today—and what it should mean tomorrow.

The Next House: USA

Design the next suburban home for the USA

20,000 USD Prize ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 2025

Open architecture competitions

  • Closest deadline first
  • Project competitions first
    Selected winning projects have the potential to be constructed
  • Ideas competitions
    Experimental competitions with the focus on pushing the boundaries of creativity
new
The Next House: USA

Design the next suburban home for the USA

20,000 USD Prize ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 2025
new
Iceland 
Slow Sauna

Design slow sauna in Iceland

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 26 November 2025
Concrete 
Pavilion

Design a concrete pavilion

Edition #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 27 November 2025
new
Pavilion Atlas 2026

Design a story of your country

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 21 January 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

new
The Home of 
Shadows

Design a home with no artificial lighting

The light studies. Edition #4 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 5 November 2025
The Last 
Nuclear Bomb Memorial

Design a memorial that speaks to the cause of ending all nuclear weapons programs

Edition #6 ideas COMPETITION SILENT CONTEST For this competition, NO DESCRIPTION TEXT is allowed. The architecture ideas must be communicated strictly with visuals.
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 13 November 2025
new
The Architect's 
Chair

Take a seat and make a statement!

Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 20 November 2025
Hospice - 
Home for the 
Terminally ill

Design a safe and supportive space to those struggling with a terminal illness

Edition #5 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 10,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 26 November 2025
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 26 November 2025
Museum of 
Emotions

Use architecture to create different emotional states

Edition #7 ideas COMPETITION SILENT CONTEST For this competition, NO DESCRIPTION TEXT is allowed. The architecture ideas must be communicated strictly with visuals.
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 27 November 2025
Re:Form - 
New Life 
for Old Spaces

Choose a site—used, abandoned, or forgotten—anywhere in the world, and give it a new purpose

Edition #2 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 3 December 2025
The Architect’s 
Stair

Take a step and make a statement!

Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 15 January 2026
new
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2026

Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize

100,000€ Prize / 2026 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 26 February 2026

Media, partners and clients

To view this project in detail,
please log in with your
Architects’ Network Plus account.
Subscription instantly unlocks all the architecture projects plus other member-only benefits:
  • Access the 17,725 Concept Library
  • Professional tools including file transfer, email, portfolio management, and more
Register now
Already a member? Log in

This website uses cookies to improve user experience and gather usage statistics.

More information is available in our Privacy & Cookie policy