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 Walls and Clay Tiles Enhance Vineyard Tasting Experience

Authors:
Adam Casey, Max Lewis
Rammed Earth Walls and Clay Tiles Enhance Vineyard Tasting Experience
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Rammed earth walls crafted from vineyard soil and sustainable clay tiles create a unique environment that enhances the visitor experience in a multifunctional tasting room.
5 key facts about this project
01
Rammed earth walls are constructed using soil from the vineyard.
02
Clay tiles are used for both roofs and floors, reflecting local tradition.
03
The entrance design is intentionally narrow, leading to an open interior.
04
Large windows frame views of the landscape, integrating nature within the space.
05
An outdoor terrace enhances the tasting experience and promotes social interaction.

The Monte D'Oiro Wine Tasting Room is a contemporary design located in a vineyard in Portugal. It focuses on enhancing the wine tasting experience by creating a space that connects visitors with the surrounding landscape. Inspired by traditional architecture, the design aims to bring together functionality and a sense of place, making it an integral part of the winery.

Architectural Concept
The overall design emphasizes the relationship between the building and its natural environment. The entrance is intentionally narrow, leading visitors into a more open interior space. This transition encourages exploration and curiosity, guiding guests through the tasting room. The layout promotes movement while highlighting the scenic views of the vineyard, making the tasting room the central point of engagement.

Materiality and Sustainability
Material choices emphasize sustainability and respect for local traditions. Clay tiles are used for the roofs and floors, continuing a well-established practice in Portuguese architecture. These tiles are durable and contribute to the longevity of the structure, minimizing maintenance needs over time. This choice reflects a commitment to the environment while creating a harmonious visual appearance throughout the space.

Engagement with Space
Natural light is a key element in the design, with large windows positioned to frame views of the vineyard. These openings allow sunlight to fill the interior, creating a warm atmosphere for visitors. Angled louvers on the open elevation provide partial glimpses of the landscape, adding to the sensory experience. Visitors can feel connected to nature while enjoying the tasting experience inside.

Connection to the Vineyard
Internally, rammed earth walls connect the building to the soil of the vineyard, expressing the origin of the wine produced there. This choice adds a physical link to the land, deepening the narrative for those who visit. The walls create a natural aesthetic that complements the entire design, reinforcing a sense of place and tradition at the core of the project.

The structure’s flowing forms and large glass double doors create an easy transition from the interior to the outdoor terrace. This setup enhances the experience of the vineyard setting, encouraging visitors to engage with the landscape while appreciating the wine tasting process.

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