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 Framework Creating Micro-Communities in Urban Spaces

Author:
Cody Bailey
Timber Framework Creating Micro-Communities in Urban Spaces
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Incorporating timber columns and a vibrant cultural center, the design fosters micro-communities while seamlessly integrating residential and commercial spaces in a dynamic urban setting.
5 key facts about this project
01
Use of timber columns provides both structural support and a warm aesthetic.
02
Cultural center at the base enhances community engagement and accessibility.
03
Open floor plans encourage social interaction and flexibility in usage.
04
Integration of green elements promotes a connection to nature throughout the building.
05
Public park adjacent to the skyscraper enhances recreational space in the urban environment.

Roosevelt Gardens is a new skyscraper located in the South Loop of Chicago, designed to enhance community interaction in the urban landscape. The design integrates residential and commercial spaces, allowing people to live and work in close proximity. This approach encourages a sense of belonging and fosters vibrant community connections. The building's layout features a mix of residential and commercial floors, creating an environment where social engagement is part of daily life.

Architectural Composition

The design prioritizes open floor layouts, wide staircases, and spacious hallways. These features create areas that can accommodate many people, promoting interaction among residents and visitors. By fostering such spaces, the layout enhances the experience of community living. Different communal amenities are distributed throughout the building, transforming it into a center for social activities and shared experiences.

Cultural Center

A cultural center occupies the base of the skyscraper, serving as a key element of community life. This facility offers various amenities like study tables, classrooms, lounges, and dining areas. The cultural center is open to both residents and the general public, reinforcing its role as a community asset. Such spaces facilitate diverse activities and promote engagement among occupants and visitors.

Sustainability and Materiality

Timber plays a significant role in the building's construction. The use of timber columns provides structural support while allowing for flexible design layouts. This choice reflects a commitment to sustainable practices and contributes positively to the interior environment. The materials used enhance not only the strength of the structure but also its visual character.

Biophilic Integration

The project incorporates elements of biophilic design, which promotes a connection to nature. Green features, such as trees and climbing plants, are integrated into both the exterior and interior spaces. This presence of vegetation enriches the environment, benefiting the well-being of residents. Living architecture evolves over time, fostering an ongoing relationship between the building and its users, while enhancing the sensory experience.

The addition of a public green park next to the skyscraper creates more recreational space and connects with the existing Roosevelt Park. This landscape element encourages people to interact with nature and their surroundings, further enhancing the community's sense of place and belonging.

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