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 Retreat Featuring Sliding Doors and Greenhouse Elements

Authors:
Craig Desmond, Samantha Fruhwirth, Farah Ahmed
Timber Retreat Featuring Sliding Doors and Greenhouse Elements
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Incorporating traditional timber joinery and sliding doors, the cabin provides a serene greenhouse environment filled with tea cuttings, serving as a retreat for moments of reflection and connection with nature.
5 key facts about this project
01
Traditional timber joinery enhances structural integrity and craftsmanship.
02
Sliding doors provide natural light and a moment of reflection upon exit.
03
A dedicated greenhouse section supports tea cuttings, promoting a connection to nature.
04
Solar array enables off-grid charging for devices, supporting sustainability.
05
Wood-burning stove offers warmth and serves for tea preparation.

Cabin Gateway is a small timber-framed roadside cabin designed to provide a peaceful escape for people looking to step away from their busy lives. Located in a natural setting, the cabin aims to create a welcoming space that encourages users to connect with nature. The design focuses on nurturing experiences, allowing for personal encounters through thoughtfully arranged areas.

Functional Layout

The layout is centered around the interaction between the cabin and its surroundings. A ramp and the presence of a tea plant draw attention to the entrance, inviting visitors to explore further. Inside, users encounter a private greenhouse filled with tea cuttings and seedlings that thrive in natural light. This indoor garden not only offers visual appeal but also creates a sensory-rich atmosphere that brings people closer to nature.

Material Selection

The construction features traditional timber joinery, which adds strength while showcasing careful craftsmanship. Timber is used as the primary material, contributing warmth and a touch of nature within the cabin. This choice helps create a cozy environment that encourages visitors to relax and enjoy the space. The focus on materiality supports the overall theme of connection to the outdoors.

User Engagement

Sliding doors enhance the experience by creating a smooth transition between different areas of the cabin. These doors let in natural light and provide a reflection of users as they step outside, prompting moments of self-awareness. Additional features such as a solar array for off-grid device charging and a wood-burning stove for warmth and tea preparation highlight the practical aspects of the cabin. These elements all work toward allowing visitors to focus on restorative experiences.

Aesthetic Details

The design of Cabin Gateway emphasizes harmony between form and function. The arrangement encourages interaction with the natural surroundings, inviting moments of quiet reflection. Unique details, like the play of light and shadow through the sliding doors, enrich the sensory experience, allowing the cabin to blend with its environment while offering a retreat from the outside world.

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

Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8

Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8

Design iconic urban sculptures for the prestigious Mujassam Watan competition and compete for 50,000 €

50,000 € PRIZE project COMPETITION
Prize 50,000 + Potential realisation
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 23 July 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
Portugal Long Table 
Restaurant

Design a slow-living restaurant in Portugal

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 8 July 2026
new
Vancouver 
Tall Challenge

Design the future of Vancouver’s skyline

Building higher downtown ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 15 July 2026
new
The Quiet 
Tower

Design an observation tower in Latvia

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 22 July 2026
Mujassam Watan 
Urban Sculpture Challenge #8

Design iconic urban sculptures for the prestigious Mujassam Watan competition and compete for 50,000 €

50,000 € PRIZE project COMPETITION
Prize 50,000 + Potential realisation
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 23 July 2026
new
New York High Falls 
Riverfront Market

Design a New Riverfront Market in Rochester, New York

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 29 July 2026
new
Valli Wine 
Tasting Room

Design a wine tasting room in Italy

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 30 July 2026
Pavilion Atlas 2026

Design a story of your country

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 16 September 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

Museum of 
Emotions

Use architecture to create different emotional states

Edition #8 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 18 June 2026
new
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #4 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 18 June 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 #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 2 July 2026
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
Advance registration deadline 9 July 2026
Underbridge #2

Design housing in underutilized bridge spaces

Affordable Housing Edition #20 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 16 July 2026
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
Final registration deadline 30 September 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