Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Rounded Forms and Sustainable Materials Enhance Wellness Retreat Experience

Authors:
Baiba Ruke, Ligita Brege
Rounded Forms and Sustainable Materials Enhance Wellness Retreat Experience
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed with rounded forms and sustainable materials like hemp and cork, the yoga house is designed to enhance mindfulness and well-being in a serene cliffside setting.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed on a cliff for panoramic mountain views.
02
Incorporates rounded forms to support energy flow during yoga.
03
Utilizes hemp and cork for eco-friendly insulation.
04
Features dual entrances for changing rooms to enhance privacy.
05
Surrounding landscape designed as a tranquil garden for meditation.

Surya Namaskar Yoga House is located on a cliff in Vale De Moses, serving as a space for yoga and meditation. The design reflects a deep respect for sunlight and the surrounding landscape, creating a harmonious experience for users. This approach supports interaction with nature while providing a peaceful environment for personal reflection.

Design and Orientation

The yoga house is positioned to take advantage of stunning mountain views and sunlight, which enters primarily in the evening. This orientation plays a crucial role in shaping both the layout and atmosphere of the space. The relationship between light and shadow is central to the design, leading to interior spaces that feel alive and change throughout the day.

Form and Layout

The shape of the building features smooth, rounded forms that encourage energy flow, essential for yoga practices. The absence of sharp edges contributes to a calming atmosphere, promoting both physical and emotional movement within the space. The layout is aimed at fostering a strong connection with the natural surroundings, allowing light to brighten the interiors and enhance the overall sense of tranquility.

Materials and Sustainability

Sustainability is a key focus, with careful material choices for both functionality and environmental impact. The main structure is built with timber, providing durability while keeping it lightweight. Insulation is achieved using hemp and cork, which offer good thermal properties and support eco-friendly design. The interior walls are clad in wooden paneling, contributing warmth, whereas cedar shingles cover the exterior, blending the building into its forested setting.

Interior Elements and Functionality

Inside, large windows provide clear views of the outside, inviting nature into the user experience. The yoga room can accommodate up to 28 individuals and features changing rooms fitted with lockers and dual entrances for accessibility. These thoughtful design elements ensure easy movement and privacy, facilitating a smooth transition for practitioners. The surrounding landscape includes a garden area, designed for quiet walks after yoga sessions, further enhancing the reflective nature of the experience.

The overall design prioritizes a balance between modern requirements and a connection to the environment, resulting in a calm space that promotes mindfulness and personal growth.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

Enter an open architecture
competition now

The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
The Home of 
Shadows
The Home of Shadows
The light studies. Edition #4
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5

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

`
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.

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

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

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
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 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
Early bird registration deadline 15 October 2025
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 16 October 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

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
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
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

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