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 Retreat Utilizes Sound-Insulating Glazing for Urban Meditation

Author:
Niklas Neumann
Rammed Earth Retreat Utilizes Sound-Insulating Glazing for Urban Meditation
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed with rammed earth and sound-insulating glazing, these cabins offer a sustainable retreat for meditation, providing a tranquil escape from the urban environment of Tokyo.
5 key facts about this project
01
Rammed earth walls enhance acoustic insulation while promoting sustainability.
02
Automated skylights provide ventilation to maintain a comfortable environment during use.
03
The use of sound-insulating glazing ensures auditory privacy within urban surroundings.
04
Interiors feature backlit shoji paper that softens lighting and adds cultural heritage.
05
Cabins incorporate versatile storage solutions tailored for personal and communal use.

The Tokyo Urban Meditation Cabins design proposal responds to the needs of city dwellers looking for quiet moments amidst the lively environment of Tokyo. These cabins focus on providing spaces for reflection and meditation, taking inspiration from the Enso, a symbol linked to Zen Buddhism. The overall design emphasizes harmony and simplicity, aiming to create a peaceful atmosphere for users.

Design Concept
The layout of each Meditation Cabin features circular patterns that align with Zen principles, promoting a natural flow throughout the space. This design encourages individuals to engage in meditation within a calming and visually appealing environment. The minimalist style removes unnecessary distractions, allowing the user’s experience to remain central.

Material Selection
Material choices are key in shaping the cabin’s character and functionality. A 3mm metal covering provides strength and durability. Solar foil from Heliatek and Kaneka supports sustainable energy use within the cabin. Sound-insulating glazing, specifically Trosifol® SC, helps to block out the outside noise of the busy city, creating an ideal space for quiet reflection.

Interior Design
Interiors emphasize comfort and practicality. A round bench with built-in storage accommodates personal items and communal cushions, combining functionality with simplicity. Soft lighting comes from backlit, tear-resistant shoji paper that lines the walls, enhancing the gentle atmosphere. Metal guide rails maintain the design’s clean lines while ensuring everything fits together well.

Operational Functionality
In each cabin, automated skylights provide ventilation, keeping the environment fresh and comfortable for users. The entrance door opens automatically, making it easy for people to access the space without noise interruption. This thoughtful approach to both technology and design allows individuals to enjoy the cabin experience fully, focusing on their meditation without distractions.

Overall, the design balances form with practical needs. It creates a space where individuals can escape from the pace of city life and engage in their own moments of tranquillity.

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