Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Mindful Retreats Constructed with Wood Panels and Skylights

Author:
An Li
Mindful Retreats Constructed with Wood Panels and Skylights
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed with wood panels and enhanced by skylights, the cabins create a serene meditation space that balances thoughtful design with urban accessibility.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed with wood panels to enhance warmth and connection to nature.
02
Skylights provide natural light, creating a calming atmosphere throughout the day.
03
Low entrance encourages mindfulness by requiring a stoop to enter.
04
Configurable layout accommodates dual-use for individual or group meditation.
05
Compact dimensions allow integration into urban environments without disruption.

Tokyo Urban Meditation Cabins are designed to create a space for quiet reflection in the midst of the busy city life. These cabins offer a compact area for meditation, catering to urban residents looking for a moment of peace. The concept emphasizes simplicity and functionality, using basic geometric shapes to form a user-friendly environment.

Design Concept

The cabins feature a unique door design that allows for easy access. The door opens at various angles, connecting the busy outside world with a calm interior. This thoughtful design invites people in and helps them transition smoothly from the hustle and bustle of the city. It encourages mindfulness as users approach the cabin, making them pause and prepare for their meditation.

Spatial Configuration

The entrance deliberately encourages reflection. It is designed to require a slight stoop for entry, which creates a moment of contemplation before stepping inside. This design feature serves as a barrier between the outside noise and the quiet that waits within. The layout of the cabin enhances this sense of separation, providing a space that feels secluded while still remaining open.

Material and Construction

Wood panels are the main material used in the cabins, chosen for their inviting feel and ease of assembly. The cabin's design allows for quick construction with simple joints, which makes the process of building efficient. The dimensions of the flooring strips are 2 cm by 4 cm, while the posts and beams measure 4 cm by 5 cm and 5 cm by 7 cm. This careful selection of dimensions helps to ensure the stability of the cabins.

Interior Atmosphere

Natural light plays a key role in creating a soothing environment inside the cabins. Skylights are strategically placed to let in daylight, enhancing the experience of meditation. As the light changes throughout the day, so does the atmosphere inside. Overall, the cabins measure 1.85 m by 2.6 m, providing enough space for two people to meditate comfortably.

Every aspect of the design aims to combine practicality with a calming atmosphere. From the layout to the choice of materials, every detail contributes to a focused space for reflection, making it a fitting part of an urban landscape that often feels overwhelming.

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