Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Timber Cabins Embracing Nature Through Blackened Cladding and Sustainable Features

Authors:
Jamie Brown, Lee Mcilroy
Timber Cabins Embracing Nature Through Blackened Cladding and Sustainable Features
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed with blackened timber cladding and pre-fabricated insulated panels, these cabins offer a sustainable retreat that fosters connection with nature and provides spaces for wellness and reflection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Cabins are designed to resemble fragments of the landscape, enhancing visual integration.
02
Pre-fabricated insulated panels allow for efficient construction and energy performance.
03
Blackened timber cladding minimizes solar gain and blends with the surrounding environment.
04
Each cabin features private gardens that promote a connection with nature.
05
The layout encourages an experiential journey through transitional spaces leading to treatment zones.

The Vale de Moses project is located in a peaceful landscape designed to encourage solitude and reconnect people with nature. It focuses on creating retreat spaces that offer privacy and promote well-being through a careful arrangement of buildings and surrounding natural elements. Each cabin reflects the site's natural shape and is integrated into the landscape, enhancing the overall experience.

Design Concept

The design emphasizes a strong connection with the environment. Cabins are thoughtfully placed to mimic the site's natural contours, working with the land rather than against it. This arrangement allows for a meaningful interaction between the architecture and the landscape, which contributes to an atmosphere conducive to relaxation and healing.



Spatial Organization

The layout shapes how visitors move through the space. There are distinct paths that guide users from common areas to more private treatment cabins. A dark, enclosed threshold marks the transition, helping guests prepare for the calmness that lies ahead. The treatment spaces are designed to let in ample natural light, connecting users to the outside, while terraces and private gardens provide quiet spots for contemplation.



Materiality

Material choices support the overall intent of the design. Cabins feature pre-fabricated insulated timber panels, which are lightweight and efficient. This choice helps speed up construction while maintaining energy efficiency. The exterior is clad in blackened timber, allowing the buildings to blend with their surroundings, while the interiors are lined with light veneered plywood, creating a warm and soothing environment.



Sustainability Features

Sustainable practices are a key focus in the design. The cabins are built with a minimal impact on the land. Covered terraces work to control heat from the sun, while thermal insulation helps reduce energy consumption. Rainwater harvesting systems support irrigation, and photovoltaic panels meet energy needs. All these aspects reflect a commitment to environmentally friendly design.



Treatment spaces are designed to open up to outdoor areas, reinforcing the relationship between indoor and outdoor environments. This connection allows guests to interact with the natural landscape, enhancing their overall experience.

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