Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Modular Office Blocks Linked by Outdoor Platforms in Boulogne-Billancourt

Authors:
Viet Anh Mai, Gia Khoa Nguyen
Modular Office Blocks Linked by Outdoor Platforms in Boulogne-Billancourt
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Elevated outdoor platforms connect modular office blocks in Boulogne-Billancourt, enhancing airflow and interaction while prioritizing privacy for diverse workspaces.
5 key facts about this project
01
Multiple outdoor platforms connect office blocks every third level, enhancing natural interaction.
02
The design incorporates a hierarchy of privacy that increases with building height.
03
Strategic staircase positioning promotes efficient movement and accessibility throughout the complex.
04
Gaps between blocks facilitate airflow, contributing to a sustainable indoor environment.
05
Ground-level public areas create a vibrant community space within the urban context.

The Matrix is located in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, near the Seine River and in view of the "Île de tous les arts" Île Seguin. It serves as a contemporary office complex, presenting a new approach to spatial design. The concept prioritizes verticality and modular organization. This creates distinct spaces for different companies while fostering collaboration and interaction.

Staircase System

A key feature of the design is the staircase system. It comprises three types: spiral, linear, and nonlinear. Each type contributes to different experiences of movement within the building. The staircases are positioned strategically to enhance accessibility and flow. This thoughtful arrangement allows people to navigate through the complex efficiently and comfortably.

Privacy and Layout

The layout of The Matrix addresses the need for privacy. The ground floor is reserved for public functions, such as cafes and gathering spaces, while the upper levels focus on office spaces. Higher floors are designed with individual offices, providing users with a sense of separation from the public areas below. This organization reflects modern workplace dynamics, allowing for both interaction and solitude.

Outdoor Integration

Outdoor platforms play a vital role in connecting the various blocks at every third level. These connections promote a blend of indoor and outdoor spaces. By reducing visual barriers, the outdoor platforms encourage movement between different sections of the building. Additionally, gaps between blocks facilitate airflow and enhance the overall well-being of occupants, linking them to the natural surroundings.

Structural Framework

The structural design of The Matrix utilizes a beam and post system. Each elevator core acts as a central post, while smaller posts at the edges support the separate office blocks. This framework provides flexibility in designing office spaces, allowing for a variety of configurations. The open layout encourages collaboration and a sense of community among different companies within the building.

The Matrix stands out for its modular design and thoughtful arrangement of spaces. It creates a working environment that connects people to both their immediate surroundings and the wider urban context.

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