Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Rotating Sustainability Platform with Fluted Concrete and Natural Timber Elements in a Modern Residential Setting

Rotating Sustainability Platform with Fluted Concrete and Natural Timber Elements in a Modern Residential Setting
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
A rotating sustainability platform utilizes fluted concrete and natural timber to create a modern residential villa that balances privacy and communal living within the arid climate of the UAE.
5 key facts about this project
01
A rotating sustainability platform optimizes solar exposure and natural ventilation.
02
Fluted concrete panels facilitate rainwater collection for efficient water management.
03
Internal courtyards create microclimates that enhance indoor air quality.
04
The design incorporates traditional Majlis spaces to promote cultural connection.
05
Operable glass walls seamlessly integrate indoor and outdoor living areas.

### Overview

The Sustainable Platform Villa is positioned in the United Arab Emirates, integrating traditional and modern architectural styles to address sustainability and environmental adaptation. The design objectives focus on creating a balance between privacy and openness, resulting in a structure that accommodates the social dynamics of contemporary life while respecting local cultural practices. By dividing the building into masses and voids, the design encourages outdoor living and enhances community engagement in an urban setting.

### Spatial Configuration and Unique Features

The villa consists of three distinct levels, each serving specific functions. The basement houses essential support spaces, including a service kitchen and laundry facilities. The ground floor serves as the primary social area, featuring interconnected living, dining, and kitchen spaces along with a *Majlis* that honors cultural traditions. In contrast, the second floor is dedicated to private quarters, including bedrooms that connect to a *Sustainability Platform*, adaptable to seasonal changes. This platform optimizes solar exposure and ventilation, essential for the local climate. Other notable design elements include an internal courtyard that promotes indoor biodiversity and enhances air quality, and operable glass walls that facilitate the flow between indoor and outdoor environments.

### Materials and Environmental Considerations

The material selection emphasizes sustainability, incorporating ultra-low carbon concrete blocks for structural integrity and minimizing the ecological footprint. Fluted panels are utilized to capture rainwater, supporting efficient water management. The integration of solar panels enhances energy efficiency by harnessing renewable resources, while wooden cladding contributes to both aesthetics and passive shading. These materials reflect a commitment to environmental stewardship and resource reduction, aligning with the project's functional objectives and overall design philosophy.

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