Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Perforated Metal Panels and Native Flora Defining a Commemorative Space for Historical Unity

Authors:
Jee Ee Khor, Ken Keat Liow, Chin Yee Sam, Wei Keat Poh
Perforated Metal Panels and Native Flora Defining a Commemorative Space for Historical Unity
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Utilizing perforated metal panels and native flora, the memorial creates an immersive pathway that commemorates the historical unity of the Baltic States while offering a reflective space for visitors.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes a central "Red Band" of perforated metal to guide visitors through the site.
02
Incorporates uneven topography to symbolize historical obstacles faced during the independence movement.
03
Engages visitors with interactive elements that promote reflection and community dialogue.
04
Employs native planting to enhance biodiversity and ecological significance.
05
Features carefully designed pathways that connect distinct experiential zones representing different themes.

**Overview**

"Walk to the Memorial: Baltic Way" is situated in the Baltic States, specifically designed to commemorate the historical unity of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Drawing inspiration from the peaceful human chain formed by nearly two million people on August 23, 1989, the memorial reflects themes of peace, nonviolence, and solidarity. The project incorporates an experiential pathway, offering visitors a physical and emotional engagement with a pivotal moment in the region's history.

**Narrative Pathways**

The design is organized around three distinct pathways: the Path of Obstacle, the Path of Hope, and the Path of Seduction. Each pathway guides visitors through a narrative experience that deepens their connection to the memorial.

- **Path of Obstacle**: This route utilizes the site's existing topography to convey the historical challenges encountered during the struggle for independence, allowing visitors to engage with a more rugged terrain that reflects past adversities.

- **Path of Hope**: This section fosters a sense of optimism through open landscapes and interactive areas, encouraging visitors to envision a hopeful future.

- **Path of Seduction**: Characterized by peaceful aesthetics, this pathway employs inviting spaces to foster emotional connections, thereby enhancing visitor engagement with the memorial.

**Materiality and Spatial Dynamics**

The architectural design integrates simple geometric forms and vibrant materials to enhance sensory experiences. Key elements include:

- **Perforated Metal Panels**: These panels, distinctive to the "Red Band," create dynamic visual patterns that change as visitors navigate through the memorial, providing texture and light interplay.

- **Paving Stones**: Durable paving stones define the pathways, facilitating ease of movement while complementing the overall aesthetic.

- **Landscape Elements**: The project incorporates native vegetation that reinforces environmental context and serves as commemoration symbols, establishing a connection to the local history.

- **Glass Facades**: Strategically positioned to maximize natural light, these elements enhance visibility and create a fluid transition between interior and exterior spaces.

The design also features a roof that adapts to the landscape, reflecting the historical fluctuations intrinsic to the Baltic struggle for freedom. Interactive installations that include media displays and public gathering spaces encourage community dialogue, transforming passive observation into active participation. The project emphasizes sustainable practices, particularly through the preservation of local flora, aligning with ecological principles while minimizing environmental impact.

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