Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Natural Ventilation Through Traditional Mashrabiya and Sustainable Travertine in Residential Design

Natural Ventilation Through Traditional Mashrabiya and Sustainable Travertine in Residential Design
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Employing traditional Mashrabiya screens for natural ventilation and durable travertine for thermal performance, this residential design successfully blends cultural heritage with modern sustainability.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes traditional Mashrabiya screens for enhanced privacy and light filtration.
02
Features a central wind tower for natural ventilation throughout the home.
03
Incorporates modular steel framework for efficient construction and flexibility.
04
Employs sustainable travertine for thermal efficiency and durability.
05
Integrates rooftop gardens to promote biodiversity and urban greening.

## Overview

The House of the Future is situated on a 15 by 30 meter plot in Dubai, designed to respond to the region's contemporary living demands and environmental challenges. The project maximizes the building footprint while ensuring privacy and functionality amid a dense urban setting. The layout embraces optimal air circulation and natural light, addressing the extreme climate prevalent in the area.

## Design Strategy and Functionality

### Modular Design for Flexibility

The design utilizes a modular, prefabricated approach that emphasizes sustainability. A basement is incorporated to separate service functions from the primary living areas, allowing for a more organized circulation path. This division enhances accessibility and optimizes space usage. The modular steel framework stands atop a concrete foundation, facilitating streamlined construction while reinforcing structural integrity.

### Integrated Sustainable Features

Sustainability is a priority in the design, with features such as passive cooling strategies, advanced water management systems, and photovoltaic panels for energy generation. A central wind tower serves as a natural ventilation system, channeling breeze into living spaces to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling methods.

## Material Selection and Aesthetic

The project employs a selection of durable materials that effectively balance functionality with aesthetic appeal. Concrete forms the foundation for stability, while a prefabricated steel framework offers resilience and quick assembly. Travertine stone clads the exterior, combining luxury with thermal performance. Photovoltaic panels are strategically positioned to leverage Dubai's sunlight, enhancing energy efficiency. The warm color palette is designed to create inviting interior environments, reinforcing a family-oriented atmosphere.

### Spatial Organization and Connectivity

The interior layout promotes an open-concept design that merges living, dining, and kitchen areas, supported by large windows that facilitate natural light penetration. The Majlis room, located within the service volume, respects cultural norms of hospitality while maintaining accessibility for residents and guests. Vertical connectivity is achieved through a panoramic elevator and generous terraces, fostering interaction between different levels and outdoor spaces.

Circulation pathways are clearly defined, improving navigation throughout the house. Entrances are designed for ease of access, accommodating both residents and visitors, and thereby enhancing the building’s overall functionality.

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

Enter an open architecture
competition now

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 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
MICROHOME 2026
MICROHOME 2026
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11
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

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 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
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
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