Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Terraced Living Spaces with Spruce and Pine in a Sustainable Community Design

Authors:
Michelangelo Mariech, Ilaria Battistotti, Denis Sempreboni
Terraced Living Spaces with Spruce and Pine in a Sustainable Community Design
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed with a spruce wood structure and supported by terraced steps, the sustainable community integrates flexible living spaces and a multifunctional covered square to enhance social interaction and ecological responsibility.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed with a spruce wood structure, enhancing sustainability.
02
Incorporates terraced steps to facilitate accessibility and movement.
03
Features a covered square that functions as a water collection point.
04
Offers a diverse range of flexible living spaces suited for different lifestyles.
05
Utilizes pine wood pathways that complement the natural environment.

Metabolic Forest presents a new way to approach sustainable urban living. Located in a setting that requires a thoughtful and ecological mindset, the project strives to combine natural spaces with comfortable living. The design aims to lower emissions while ensuring a high standard of comfort for its residents. Social interaction and a sense of community are prioritized, making it a place where people can connect with each other and with their environment.

Design Concept

The foundation of the design rests on sustainability, encompassing three main ideas: growth, protection, and connection. Growth is seen in the variety of living spaces that adapt to different lifestyles. Protection focuses on shielding residents from environmental challenges such as sun, wind, pollution, and noise. Connection integrates the building with the surrounding urban landscape, promoting fluid movement through the space and encouraging social interaction.

Site Plan and Layout

A well-thought-out site plan features essential components like underground parking, terraced steps, a covered square, and public gardens with pathways. Together, these elements promote accessibility and interaction among residents, creating a lively atmosphere. The layout is designed to balance private living with communal areas, allowing for both solitude and social engagement.

Materiality

Materials chosen for the project include a spruce wood structure and pine wood pathways, supporting the overall sustainability goals. A concrete foundation provides the necessary stability and strength while facilitating effective internal water disposal systems. These materials do not just serve practical purposes; they also contribute to a natural aesthetic that complements the environment.

Architectural Features

The covered square stands out as a significant feature, serving as both a gathering place and a water dispenser. This double function allows for the collection and recycling of water used for irrigation, enhancing sustainability efforts. The light steel structure allows for connections between different levels, with a central elevator improving accessibility throughout the building. A range of living options, from duplex units to smaller flats, caters to varied needs, promoting inclusivity among residents.

Metabolic Forest exemplifies a thoughtful blend of community-focused spaces and residential living. The thoughtful integration of features and ecological design creates an inviting environment. The covered square as a central hub encourages residents to engage, building connections that enrich the community.

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 Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
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
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 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
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
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 2025
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 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
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
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
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
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