Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Stone Walls and Solar Panels Creating a Harmonious Outdoor Yoga Studio

Authors:
Khalid Altamimi, Mariam Abdelaziz
Stone Walls and Solar Panels Creating a Harmonious Outdoor Yoga Studio
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
With thick stone walls and integrated solar panels, the studio offers a peaceful space for yoga and meditation, fully connected to the natural landscape of Vale de Moses, Portugal.
5 key facts about this project
01
Yoga studio integrates outdoor platforms for classes and relaxation.
02
Thick stone walls provide natural insulation and aesthetic continuity.
03
Sustainable solar panels generate energy for studio operations.
04
Grey water recycling system irrigates surrounding gardens.
05
Functional zoning enhances user experience with a logical flow.

The Vale Yoga Studio is located in Vale de Moses, Portugal, where its design connects with the natural landscape and provides a space for yoga practice and meditation. The project emphasizes a harmonious relationship with its surroundings, promoting tranquility and wellness for those who visit. The design focuses on functionality through a clear organization of different areas that serve specific purposes.

Design Concept and Functional Zoning

The layout of the studio is divided into three key zones: pre, during, and post. The pre-zone includes essential facilities like storage, washrooms, showers, and changing rooms. This area is arranged to facilitate easy movement, ensuring that users can navigate the space without disruption. Its practical design makes it an integral part of the overall experience.

The during zone is home to the main yoga studio, dedicated to practice and meditation. In this space, additional storage has been thoughtfully embedded in thickened stone walls. This design choice allows the studio to maintain an open and inviting atmosphere while still providing the necessary functionality for personal items.

Outdoor Integration and Sustainability

The post zone features a kitchenette and has direct access to outdoor platforms that connect the building to the surrounding landscape. These areas encourage users to engage with nature, either through outdoor yoga sessions or by simply relaxing in a calm environment. Such integration allows the studio to extend its functions beyond four walls.

Sustainability plays a significant role in the studio's design. The ceiling is equipped with solar panels that generate clean energy, meeting the building's electricity needs. A water management system also collects grey water from the washrooms and showers, using it for irrigation of nearby plants, which emphasizes a practical approach to eco-friendliness.

Operable doors enhance natural air circulation, ensuring a steady flow of fresh air inside the studio. This design choice encourages a direct connection between the indoors and outdoors. It creates an atmosphere where users can appreciate the beauty of Vale de Moses while enjoying their practice.

Each aspect of the design is carefully considered to support both user experience and environmental responsibility. The outdoor platforms, in particular, offer inviting spaces that promote relaxation amid the natural beauty of the area, fulfilling the studio's role as a sanctuary for wellness.

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