Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Oxidized Wood and Steel Structure Enhancing Community Connection

Authors:
Tommaso Ferrari, Diego Perusko, Cristian Torreggiani
Oxidized Wood and Steel Structure Enhancing Community Connection
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed with oxidized wood and a flexible steel framework, the Kurgi Sky Tower fosters community engagement through panoramic terraces and inviting interior spaces, seamlessly blending built and natural environments.
5 key facts about this project
01
Community-focused design promotes social interaction through flexible interior layouts.
02
Panoramic terraces integrate natural observation into the visitor experience.
03
Oxidized wood panels enhance durability while creating visual warmth.
04
Steel framework supports open floor plans for unobstructed views.
05
The structure's organic form echoes the surrounding landscape.

The Kurgi Sky Tower is an architectural endeavor located in Kurgi, an area abundant in historical and cultural richness. The design focuses on simplicity, warmth, and a strong connection to nature. It serves primarily as a community space, aimed at encouraging inclusivity and social interaction while being considerate of the surrounding environment.

Design Concept

The concept highlights the importance of bringing people together and building community ties. The structure functions as a gathering place that fosters shared experiences and a sense of belonging. It emphasizes how architecture can create meaningful connections between individuals and their surroundings, making the environment feel welcoming and engaging.

Form and Aesthetics

The tower's shape combines soft, flowing lines with more angular forms, creating a balance that complements the landscape. The soft lines suggest elements found in nature, while the geometric features indicate practicality and precision in construction. This thoughtful mix results in a cohesive design, marrying beauty with functionality in a practical manner.

Materiality

Materials are chosen carefully to enhance the design's purpose and appearance. The project features oxidized wood panels, which add warmth and durability to the interior spaces. These panels visually link the tower to its natural surroundings. The metal framework supports the structure, enabling open and flexible floor plans that allow for impressive views of the area.

Interior and Exterior Spaces

Panoramic terraces are designed to merge indoor and outdoor areas, encouraging visitors to engage with nature. These terraces come equipped with practical lighting, allowing use at any time of day. The fourth-floor Sky Room is particularly notable, with large windows that fill the space with natural light and showcase scenic views. This room is intended to be inviting, with furnishings that facilitate a variety of gatherings for the community.

Access to different levels is thoughtfully managed through the use of oxidized wood panels in the stairwell and a self-supporting steel ladder. This design adds to the welcoming atmosphere within the tower. The surrounding structures provide safety while also enhancing the overall visual quality of the space, reflecting a modern design philosophy that values both practicality and aesthetics.

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 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 Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
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

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
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 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
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