Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Translucent Cube Offering Reflective Serenity in Urban Spaces

Authors:
Jin Seok Hyun, Hwan Hee Lee, Gyeom Seo Ryu
Translucent Cube Offering Reflective Serenity in Urban Spaces
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
A translucent cube with reflective metal surfaces reinterprets the traditional 'Engawa' to create a serene meditation space, inviting urban residents to engage in moments of quiet reflection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Translucent polycarbonate walls offer privacy while allowing natural light to create an uplifting atmosphere.
02
The reflective metal floor mimics natural elements, enhancing the connection to the outside environment.
03
Designed to emulate the traditional 'Engawa' concept, the chair engages users with both inner and outer spaces.
04
Positioned in Tokyo's busy squares, the cube activates underutilized urban areas for mindfulness.
05
Addresses the historical loss of traditional spaces in Tokyo by reintroducing a sanctuary for meditation.

The Meditation Cube presents a thoughtful response to the need for quiet spaces amid the bustling city of Tokyo. It combines the traditions of Japanese architecture with modern design principles, focusing on creating an environment conducive to meditation and reflection. The cube is a contemporary reinterpretation of the 'Engawa,' traditionally a transition space that links the inside of a home with the outdoors. Here, it serves as a sanctuary for individuals looking to escape the city's fast pace and find moments of inner peace.

Translucent Walls

The cube is enclosed by translucent polycarbonate walls, which allow natural light to fill the interior while maintaining privacy. This feature creates a bright and inviting atmosphere. Users can enjoy their own space without being disturbed by the outside world. The design encourages a calm environment, essential for meditation practices, enabling users to focus in a serene setting.

Reflective Metal Floor

The floor is made of reflective metal, which plays a central role in enhancing the space. This reflective surface captures the outside environment, mirroring the sky and surrounding elements. The result is an effect that expands the perception of space. Light dances across the floor, creating a dynamic interaction with the natural world. Users can feel a connection to nature even while inside the cube, enriching their meditative experience.

Chair as an Engawa

Inside, the chair mimics the concept of the 'Engawa.' Its design encourages interaction between the user and both the interior and exterior spaces. Positioned thoughtfully, it invites individuals to sit and reflect. This element is crucial, as it enhances the experience of meditation by making users feel engaged with their surroundings while finding a moment of stillness.

Spatial Activation in Urban Context

The Meditation Cube is placed strategically in Tokyo's busy squares. These squares often go unused and can feel lifeless. By introducing a space dedicated to meditation, the cube offers a new function to these areas. It encourages individuals to take a break from their daily routines and engage in moments of mindfulness. This different use of public space challenges the typical dynamic of urban areas, transforming how people interact with their environment.

The cube highlights the intersection of reflective surfaces and translucent walls. It creates a retreat that fosters a calm atmosphere, allowing users to connect with themselves and the world around them.

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