Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Meditative Space with Metal Grid and Rainwater System

Authors:
Lisa Montanari, Stefano Camedda
Meditative Space with Metal Grid and Rainwater System
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
With integrated rainwater management and a pedestrian-friendly metal grid, the design creates a meditative living space that emphasizes mindfulness and connection to nature.
5 key facts about this project
01
Integrated rainwater system supports sustainable water management.
02
Pedestrian pathways enhance accessibility and connection to the landscape.
03
Origami techniques promote mindfulness through practical folding activities.
04
Metal grid flooring preserves the natural terrain underneath.
05
Design emphasizes fluid transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The Origami Nesting Box is a well-planned structure that combines principles of Yoga with everyday living. Located in a natural setting, it promotes mindfulness and well-being through its design and function. It serves not only as a residence but also as a space for meditation, focusing on enhancing physical and mental clarity.

Design Concept

The design focuses on connecting indoor and outdoor spaces, encouraging a close relationship with nature. The layout permits easy movement throughout, allowing people to interact with the building and the landscape at the same time. Incorporating Origami techniques adds a unique aspect, allowing occupants to participate in meditative folding. This provides a way to achieve states of concentration and peace.

Landscape Integration

Incorporating the landscape design involves existing pathways complemented by new pedestrian routes. These paths facilitate movement while keeping the natural beauty of the area intact. A metal grid allows for safe passage and enhances the connection between the structure and its environment. This approach makes it easy for users to explore the outdoors around the building.

Sustainability Features

A significant part of the design focuses on managing water use efficiently. A rainwater collection system collects water from the roof and directs it through gutters and filters into storage tanks. This system connects to an Imhoff tank and reed bed to handle waste properly. Such features highlight the project's commitment to responsible water management and environmental care.

Interior Layout

Inside, the layout includes distinct areas for crucial living activities, such as wardrobes, bathrooms, and spaces for relaxation. This design promotes comfort and functionality while adding places for quiet reflection. The careful arrangement of these spaces supports a healthy lifestyle, fostering a strong connection to nature and personal well-being.

Large windows offer natural light and views of the surrounding landscape. This design feature brings the outdoors inside, enhancing the feeling of being in touch with nature.

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 Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
MICROHOME 2026
MICROHOME 2026
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11
The Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 2026

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
Rome 
Rain Rooms

Design a rain room for Rome

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
Iceland 
Slow Sauna

Design slow sauna in Iceland

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 28 January 2026
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

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
Advance registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
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
Advance registration deadline 22 January 2026
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
Final registration deadline 4 February 2026
new
MICROHOME 2026

Design a new concept of small-scale home and share a prize fund of 100,000€

100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 11 February 2026
new
Museum of 
Emotions

Use architecture to create different emotional states

Edition #8 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
Early bird registration deadline 25 February 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