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 Roof and Mosaic Facade in a Community-Centric Cultural Laboratory

Authors:
Yulia Sisoeva, Kitchenko Dmitriy
Translucent Roof and Mosaic Facade in a Community-Centric Cultural Laboratory
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
With a mosaic facade and a translucent roof that invites natural light, the design serves as a versatile cultural laboratory fostering community engagement and creativity in the heart of Tokyo.
5 key facts about this project
01
Mosaic tiles on the facade reflect traditional Japanese textile patterns while incorporating vibrant contemporary colors.
02
The translucent roof design allows natural light to filter throughout, enhancing the interior's atmosphere.
03
Curvaceous structural forms create a unique visual identity while promoting efficient spatial flow.
04
A flexible layout supports varied community activities, ensuring adaptability to changing needs.
05
Integration of steel and timber showcases a blend of modern durability with traditional warmth.

### Overview

Located in Okubo, Tokyo, the Pokkuri House serves as the International Popular Culture Laboratory, fostering cultural exchange and community engagement. By integrating traditional Japanese aesthetics with contemporary pop art influences, the design creates a vibrant environment intended for creativity and innovation. The building not only functions as a versatile space for various activities but also seeks to rejuvenate the dialogue between historical and modern cultural practices.

### Spatial Configuration and Connectivity

The multipurpose layout of the Pokkuri House is organized across four floors, with each level dedicated to specific functions that facilitate interaction among visitors. The first floor features an exhibition hall, a café, and restrooms, offering immediate access to the public. The second floor accommodates open design studios and recreational areas, reflecting an adaptive use of space. The upper floors include a library, conference room, and a large forum designed to host 300 individuals, demonstrating a robust spatial strategy that promotes both individual study and community activities. This thoughtful arrangement ensures a logical flow between private and communal areas, enhancing user experience and accessibility throughout the facility.

### Material Selection and Aesthetic Integration

The architectural elements reflect a balance between tradition and modernity, utilizing distinctive materials that honor Japanese cultural heritage while embracing contemporary methods. The building's curvilinear forms and colorful mosaic tile façade echo traditional Japanese textiles, creating a playful visual identity. The structural framework, which combines steel and reinforced concrete with traditional timber finishes, underscores durability while offering a warm aesthetic. The roof design, featuring translucent components, allows natural light to permeate interior spaces, enhancing the atmosphere of creativity. This materiality not only reinforces the building's structural integrity but also aligns with its mission to serve as a cultural beacon, connecting past and present through design.

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