Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Mast and Sand: a Cenotaph for Remembering Forgotten Soldiers

Authors:
Florent Goy, Tarik Elmansouri, Anna Marin, Yann Mazimann
Mast and Sand: a Cenotaph for Remembering Forgotten Soldiers
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
The thin wireframe mast emerges from a circular room, where sand subtly flows in to obscure names, creating a reflective cenotaph dedicated to the memory of young soldiers who undertook the perilous task of demining coastal landscapes.
5 key facts about this project
01
A thin wireframe mast acts as a symbolic connection to the sea.
02
The cenotaph features a circular room that promotes immersive reflection.
03
Sand trickles in through openings, gradually covering names commemorated inside.
04
An empty pail invites visitors to participate in the act of remembrance.
05
The site is located along historically significant French and Dutch coastlines.

The project "SAND PAIL" serves as a cenotaph dedicated to young German soldiers who took on the difficult task of demining the French and Dutch coastlines after the war. It aims to honor the stories of those who are often overlooked. This design creates a space for contemplation and reflection, effectively weaving together themes of memory and connection to the past.

Central Element
At the heart of the design is a thin wireframe mast that reaches toward the sea, symbolizing a connection to history and remembrance. As people walk toward the mast, they feel the shifting ground beneath them, highlighting the heavy burden of history. The round layout of the cenotaph encourages movement and engagement, allowing visitors to explore the space while drawing attention to the central focal point.

Spatial Dynamics
Inside, the wide round room converges at the base of the mast, which pierces the ceiling. This central element captures attention and prompts reflection on the names etched within the space. Light plays an important role here. Openings allow natural light to filter in, creating a dynamic atmosphere that shifts throughout the day and enhances the feeling of solemnity.

Material Interaction
While specific materials are not detailed in the presentation text, sand is an important aspect of the design. It seeps through various openings, serving as a symbol of the passage of time and the fading of memory. This interaction between the architectural form and the sand fosters a conversation about the relationship between the past and the present.

Memorial Function
A notable feature is the empty pail located within the mast. Visitors can engage with the pail by hoisting it and then tipping it to release sand. This act of raising the pail reinforces the idea of collective memory. Each visitor's interaction symbolizes an acknowledgment of those lost, creating a visual representation of memory that shifts with each engagement.

Within the space, sand fills the gaps over time, partially covering the names engraved inside. This gradual change creates an evolving landscape of memory, making each visit a unique experience that resonates with the themes of remembrance and the fleeting nature of time.

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