Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Integrating Natural Wood and Brick Walls Within a Coastal Landscape

Author:
Katja Teinilä
Integrating Natural Wood and Brick Walls Within a Coastal Landscape
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Set against a rugged coastal backdrop, Villa Solstice harmonizes natural wood and brick to create a well-oriented residence that maximizes daylight and connects intimately with its surroundings.
5 key facts about this project
01
Inner courtyard enhances privacy and connection to nature.
02
Bay windows create inviting reading nooks in living spaces.
03
Skylights provide natural light to interior areas without windows.
04
L-shaped layout optimizes views of the sea and surrounding forest.
05
Natural wood cladding integrates seamlessly with coastal environment.

Villa Solstice is a residential structure located in Naantali, Finland. It sits within an area known for its rugged terrain and coastal features. The design focuses on blending with the natural landscape while enhancing the living experience. A central idea is to maximize the use of daylight, creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for its occupants.

Architecture Concept

The design features an L-shaped structure that helps create a close connection between the inside and outside spaces. This configuration produces a sheltered courtyard that opens to the surrounding vegetation, providing a sense of peace. A terrace faces the sea, allowing for sweeping views and encouraging interaction with the natural surroundings.

Natural Light Utilization

Maximizing natural light is a key element of the design. The positioning of windows is deliberate, ensuring that sunlight reaches various parts of the home throughout the day. Living areas are positioned to capture sunlight from different directions. The east-facing bedroom benefits from soft morning light, providing a gentle way to start each day.

Window Design and Materiality

The windows in Villa Solstice serve important roles in the overall design. They are sized and placed to meet the needs of each room. Large windows in common areas help blur the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces. In bedrooms and the home office, bay windows create comfortable spots for reading or working. The use of natural wood for the exterior cladding helps the house connect with its surroundings while also providing shade and privacy.

Interior Atmosphere and Details

Inside, the use of brick walls adds warmth, and wooden flooring contributes to a welcoming feel. A white-painted ceiling allows light to bounce around, brightening the entire space. Careful attention to detail enhances the livability of the home, ensuring that the design is both functional and appealing.

A canopy over the terrace helps to provide shade, making it a pleasant place to relax. This thoughtful design detail invites residents to enjoy the outdoors while keeping comfort in mind.

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