Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Reflective Micro Home with Photovoltaic Features by the Lake

Author:
Xiyu Chen
Reflective Micro Home with Photovoltaic Features by the Lake
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Clad in reflective glass, the micro home harnesses solar energy while seamlessly integrating into the landscape, providing a versatile living space designed for adaptability near Lake Braies.
5 key facts about this project
01
Clad entirely in mirrors, the micro home reflects its natural surroundings, enhancing the landscape experience.
02
The roof integrates photovoltaic glass, optimizing energy production while allowing light to enter.
03
Furniture designed for flexibility can retract into walls, maximizing usable living space.
04
A retractable balcony extends toward the lake, creating a usable outdoor area during favorable weather.
05
The structure employs a Spider Glass anchoring system, allowing for wider glass surfaces and improved durability.

"Mirror The World" is located at Lake Braies in South Tyrol, Italy. The design features a micro house fully covered in mirrors, allowing it to blend with its surroundings. The concept prioritizes ecological sustainability and adaptability, enabling the structure to change with the seasons and engage actively with the landscape.

Architectural Concept

The focus of the design is on adaptability within a limited space. The micro house includes various spaces that can serve different functions, making it easy for users to adjust the interior according to their needs. This creates a multifunctional living area that remains well-organized while maximizing usefulness.

Materiality and Sustainability

Sustainability is an important aspect of the design. The interior layout uses natural and recycled materials for a balance of comfort and modern appearance. The roof has mirror glass slabs that contain photovoltaic cells. These cells not only allow natural light into the home but also promote energy efficiency. The panels are treated with amorphous silicon gel, which helps turn them into semiconductors, optimizing energy production without losing brightness inside.

Structural Innovations

Spy Mirror Glass forms the shell of the MicroHome. This tempered material offers a combination of transparency and reflective qualities. It allows people to see outside while providing a mirrored effect from the other side, depending on the light. This feature ensures a sense of privacy while maintaining openness in the living space.

Interior Functionality

The design makes use of retractable furniture to improve space efficiency. Desks for work are cleverly hidden under the living room counters and can be pulled out when needed. Additionally, a retractable balcony extends out toward the lake on sunny days, providing an inviting spot for relaxation or work. The use of a Spider Glass anchoring system enhances stability by allowing for wider glass surfaces, ensuring durability against the elements.

The careful attention to detail in the design, from the adjustable furniture to the reflective outer layer, fosters a relationship between the building and its natural surroundings, showcasing the beauty of the landscape while offering a flexible living 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 Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
MICROHOME 2026
MICROHOME 2026
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11
The Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 2026

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
Rome 
Rain Rooms

Design a rain room for Rome

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
Iceland 
Slow Sauna

Design slow sauna in Iceland

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 28 January 2026
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

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
Advance registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
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
Advance registration deadline 22 January 2026
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
Final registration deadline 4 February 2026
new
MICROHOME 2026

Design a new concept of small-scale home and share a prize fund of 100,000€

100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 11 February 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