Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Organic Forms Crafted from Steel and Glass in a Multifunctional Community Hub

Author:
Ben Schoenekase
Organic Forms Crafted from Steel and Glass in a Multifunctional Community Hub
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Crafted with angular forms of steel and glass, this community hub integrates versatile spaces designed for public interaction and engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
Crafted using a bent A-frame design to optimize natural light and spatial dynamics.
02
Incorporates cross-laminated timber panels to enhance structural efficiency and aesthetic warmth.
03
Features charred wooden shingles, offering both sustainability and a contemporary finish.
04
Strategically positioned glass elements create seamless indoor-outdoor connections.
05
Designed as a multifunctional space, adaptable for various community activities and events.

## Overview of Bella Lingua Sotto

Bella Lingua Sotto is situated in Galen Square, designed to engage with contemporary architectural discourses through its innovative form and functionality. Influenced by literary and artistic movements, particularly the Dada movement, the structure incorporates elements of satire and metaphor throughout its design, encouraging interaction with the built environment on various levels.

## Spatial Configuration

The building's design leverages unconventional spatial configurations that challenge traditional architectural hierarchies. A distinct datum line creates an acute awareness of vertical space, inviting users to experience their surroundings in a novel manner. The interplay of open, vaulted areas fosters a connection among occupants while highlighting inclusivity. The hall serves as a central gathering space, adaptable for diverse functions ranging from performances to exhibitions, thereby emphasizing communal interaction alongside individual reflection.

## Material Selection

Key materials have been thoughtfully selected to enhance both aesthetic and functional aspects of the structure. Steel serves as a robust framework, allowing for intricate formwork; concrete provides durability and adaptability in creating dynamic surfaces; and glass facilitates transparency, merging interior and exterior environments. This combination of materials generates a dialogue between solidity and lightness, contributing to the architectural narrative and the overall user experience.

## Sociocultural Context

Bella Lingua Sotto integrates sociopolitical commentary into its design, utilizing humor and literary references to critique and celebrate traditional architectural forms. The project is intended as a cultural hub, designed to promote community interaction and artistic expression, reinforcing the role of architecture in social discourse.

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
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