Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Rammed Earth and Bronze Steel Create Sustainable Hospitality Amidst Vineyards

Authors:
Nigel Reading, Daniel Traficante, Duran Bezuidenhout, Azin Shameli
Rammed Earth and Bronze Steel Create Sustainable Hospitality Amidst Vineyards
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed from local clay-limestone and bronze steel, the design forms an organic connection to the surrounding vineyards while providing a boutique hotel experience that emphasizes sustainability and community engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
Rammed earth construction utilizes local clay-limestone to blend the building with its surroundings.
02
Bronze steel elements enhance durability while maintaining aesthetic harmony with the landscape.
03
The design features enclosed courtyards that offer privacy and panoramic vineyard views.
04
Each area of the hotel is named after local grape varieties, connecting the space to regional viticulture.
05
Canopies symbolize the Tree of Life, providing shelter and cooling in the warm summer months.

The MdOIR project is located on Gold Mountain in the Alenquer region of Portugal, consisting of a boutique hotel, a Cellar Door Restaurant-Bar, and a Spa. The design connects to the surrounding landscape, taking inspiration from the natural forms of local vines and grapes. The overall concept emphasizes the idea of growth in nature and the communal experience of winemaking, creating inviting spaces for social interaction and cultural connection.

Integration with Landscape

The layout promotes a strong relationship with the environment. Arranged like a cluster of grapes, the design features an atrium lobby at its center, encouraging guests to engage with one another. Canopies are thoughtfully placed to represent the Tree of Life. These structures provide important wind protection and shade while enhancing the visual harmony of the site.

Spatial Arrangement

The inclusion of enclosed courtyards creates quiet spaces that enhance privacy and offer expansive views of the vineyards. These areas invite reflection and relaxation, blurring the lines between built spaces and nature. Play and pool areas are designed to encourage social activities, creating an atmosphere where visitors can interact with each other comfortably.

Material Selection

Materials chosen for the project reflect a focus on sustainability and regional character. Clay-limestone rammed earth, sourced from the site, provides a strong connection to the local geography. Durable bronze-tinted steel adds visual interest. The use of found oak timbers brings local craftsmanship into the design. Reconditioned brickwork from past buildings further emphasizes environmental responsibility and reduces waste.

Design Details

The hotel rooms transition from a circular shape reminiscent of grapes into form variations that evoke wine barrels. This design strategy allows for generous views of the vineyard landscape. Thoughtful attention to shape and layout highlights the area's cultural heritage. Each section of the project is named after grape varieties grown at Monte d'Oiro, grounding the architecture in the local viticulture and enhancing the guest experience.

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