Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Meditation Retreat Crafted from Local Stone and Timber with Passive Ventilation Features

Authors:
Michael Macneill, Joseph Zhang, Justin Lewis
Meditation Retreat Crafted from Local Stone and Timber with Passive Ventilation Features
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Crafted with locally sourced stone and timber, this meditation retreat integrates flexible spaces and passive ventilation to create a serene environment for mindfulness and reflection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Crafted entirely from locally sourced materials, enhancing its environmental integration.
02
Incorporates passive solar design principles to optimize energy efficiency year-round.
03
Silence chambers are strategically placed for individual meditation and reflection.
04
Pavilions are designed to represent specific yoga poses, merging functionality with symbolism.
05
The camp layout allows for flexible space utilization, accommodating various group sizes.

### Project Overview

The Stone Barn Meditation Camp is located in Latvia and is designed to support meditation practices, particularly yoga. The layout incorporates six distinct yoga poses, creating spaces that not only facilitate various activities but also enhance the meditative experience. The design merges traditional architectural forms with contemporary sustainable principles.

### Spatial Configuration and Flexibility

The project emphasizes flexibility and tranquility, essential elements for meditation. Each pavilion is inspired by a specific yoga pose, establishing a harmonious relationship between the built environment and nature. The hierarchical structure of the camp allows for adaptability, catering to changing user needs while optimizing functionality.

The three-floor organization features distinct layouts: the first floor houses community spaces for group practices, while the second and third floors provide guest accommodations designed for both privacy and communal interaction. Movable walls and adaptable partitions enable dynamic uses of the internal spaces, ensuring that the design remains responsive to the needs of users.

### Materiality and Sustainability

The selection of materials reflects both durability and connection to the environment. Stone serves as the primary external material, providing a natural aesthetic, while wood is used for roofing and structural elements, imparting warmth and enhancing the tactile experience. Brick is incorporated for its thermal properties, aligning with the traditional architectural context of Latvia.

Sustainable practices are a keystone of the design, which features photovoltaic glass for energy efficiency and passive systems to reduce energy consumption. These initiatives utilize local materials, minimizing transportation emissions. Natural light and ventilation are emphasized through strategic design choices, contributing to a comfortable indoor climate while fostering an engaging sensory experience.

In addition, outdoor areas such as the meditation garden and silence chambers are integral to the project, promoting introspection and mental well-being through direct interaction with nature. These features enhance the overall user experience, supporting the objectives of the camp in creating a nurturing environment.

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

Enter an open architecture
competition now

The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
The Home of 
Shadows
The Home of Shadows
The light studies. Edition #4
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025: Celebrating Architectural Creativity and Visionary Unbuilt Designs with a Total Prize Fund of €100,000

`
Competition organisers

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 is an international architecture competition dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the value of unrealized architectural designs. It invites architects, designers, and students worldwide to submit visionary projects that have not yet been constructed, highlighting the power of ideas and the creativity behind the design process. By focusing on unbuilt work, the competition aims to bring forward concepts that shape the future of architecture and push the boundaries of the profession. 

Participants can compete in three categories based on project scale: Small Wonders (up to 100 m²), Medium Marvels (101–999 m²), and Large Visions (over 1,000 m²). Each category winner will receive €20,000, and additional prizes include honorable mentions, student awards, and a special Best Presentation Award. Winning projects will gain significant international exposure through Buildner’s publicity campaign and a feature article on ArchDaily, providing a unique opportunity to showcase creative ideas to a global audience. 

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 encourages entrants to submit any type of unbuilt project, from conceptual visions to detailed designs, celebrating bold innovation without the constraints of realization. Important deadlines: registration closes on October 30, 2025; submissions are due by November 20, 2025; winners will be announced on December 17, 2025.

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

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

100,000€ Prize / 2025 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 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
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 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
Early bird registration deadline 15 October 2025
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 16 October 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

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

100,000€ Prize / 2025 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 2025
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
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

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