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Round Tents with Skylights Crafted from Wood in a Desert Community

Authors:
Marta Mojsik, Klaudia Niedziałek, Beata Murdzia
Round Tents with Skylights Crafted from Wood in a Desert Community
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Round tents with skylights, constructed from wooden elements and designed to facilitate airflow, create a unique community of ecolodges in the desert, offering residents a sustainable living experience while connecting them with the natural landscape.
5 key facts about this project
01
Round tent shapes enhance airflow and passive cooling.
02
Skylights above beds allow for stargazing while minimizing light pollution.
03
Ecolodges are designed to facilitate wildlife observation, including Arabian Oryx.
04
Construction uses lightweight wooden elements for easy assembly and disassembly.
05
Each lodge features individual sewage treatment plants and solar-heated water tanks.

The design in Abu Dhabi centers around ecolodges that blend into the desert landscape. These lodges are aimed at supporting a sustainable lifestyle while providing comfort and functionality. The concept takes inspiration from traditional tent structures, translating them into contemporary forms suitable for the harsh climate of the region. Residents are offered a unique living experience that encourages a connection with the natural environment.

Concept and Functionality
The main idea is based on round-shaped tents that enhance airflow and support natural cooling. This design helps to prevent turbulent wind while allowing cool air to flow through openings. Elevating the tents above the ground allows warm air to escape through skylights installed in the roofs. The design minimizes the need for mechanical cooling systems, resulting in more efficient temperature management.

Lighting and Interaction with Nature
Effective lighting plays a vital role in the overall design. Shielded light bulbs focus illumination downward, preventing light pollution during clear nights. An automated shut-off system supports this aim by ensuring that light is not wasted when not needed. The plan takes advantage of the beautiful night sky, allowing residents to enjoy the Milky Way and encouraging a deeper connection with the surrounding nature.

Materials and Environmental Integration
Wooden elements are used in the construction, ensuring that the lodges can be easily assembled and disassembled. The facades of the tents are made from transparent tent foil, allowing for natural light to enter and enhancing the relationship between the inside and outside. Walls use 5 cm thick mineral wool for insulation, which aids in maintaining comfortable temperatures and promotes energy efficiency. Additionally, solar-heated water tanks and individual sewage treatment plants show a commitment to ecological responsibility.

Community and Private Living Spaces
The layout includes a central hub made up of three connected tents that serve communal functions, such as dining and socializing. This fosters interaction among residents while still providing private areas. Each lodge contains small outdoor terraces and intimate interiors. This balance offers opportunities for both shared experiences and moments of solitude, allowing residents to appreciate the desert environment.

The thoughtful arrangement of spaces encourages engagement with the natural surroundings, creating an inviting atmosphere where the night sky becomes a prominent feature of daily life for residents.

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The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025: Celebrating Architectural Creativity and Visionary Unbuilt Designs with a Total Prize Fund of €100,000

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Competition organisers

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 is an international architecture competition dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the value of unrealized architectural designs. It invites architects, designers, and students worldwide to submit visionary projects that have not yet been constructed, highlighting the power of ideas and the creativity behind the design process. By focusing on unbuilt work, the competition aims to bring forward concepts that shape the future of architecture and push the boundaries of the profession. 

Participants can compete in three categories based on project scale: Small Wonders (up to 100 m²), Medium Marvels (101–999 m²), and Large Visions (over 1,000 m²). Each category winner will receive €20,000, and additional prizes include honorable mentions, student awards, and a special Best Presentation Award. Winning projects will gain significant international exposure through Buildner’s publicity campaign and a feature article on ArchDaily, providing a unique opportunity to showcase creative ideas to a global audience. 

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 encourages entrants to submit any type of unbuilt project, from conceptual visions to detailed designs, celebrating bold innovation without the constraints of realization. Important deadlines: registration closes on October 30, 2025; submissions are due by November 20, 2025; winners will be announced on December 17, 2025.

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Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize

100,000€ Prize / 2025 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 2025

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