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Translucent Skin Enveloping Timber Sphere Defines Cultural Space

Authors:
Rolando Jesús Vázquez Martínez, Jose María Alvarado Alvarado
Translucent Skin Enveloping Timber Sphere Defines Cultural Space
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A translucent skin envelops a timber sphere, creating an immersive cultural space that fosters community engagement and exploration of humanity's collective memory.
5 key facts about this project
01
A translucent skin provides dynamic light play within the interior spaces.
02
The design incorporates a suspended CORE that centers the experience around human knowledge.
03
Timber elements promote ecological integration with the surrounding landscape.
04
Geometric forms like the square and circle enhance spatial harmony and proportion.
05
Public areas encourage community interaction and cultural activities throughout the space.

The architectural design is located between Valladolid and Chichen Itzá in Yucatán, Mexico, and reflects a deep human desire to create a lasting legacy. This project emerges within a region rich in history, acting as a bridge between the present and future. The concept centers on adaptation, encouraging a meaningful relationship between people and their environment. It addresses how architecture can express collective memory while remaining relevant across different generations.

Geometric Forms and Spatial Configuration

At the core of the design are two shapes: the square and the circle. These forms symbolize symmetry, proportion, and harmony. They guide the overall design language and influence the way space is organized. Each area is deliberately connected, creating a flow that allows for easy movement and interaction. Visitors can explore various spaces that offer both intimacy and openness, enriching their experience as they navigate through.

Materiality and Aesthetic Intent

Material choices are intentional and reflect the surrounding environment. A translucent skin wraps around the central sphere, inviting light to enter while protecting the interior. This feature creates a sense of continuity and transformation, as the pavilion engages with changing natural conditions. Timber is also used strategically, linking the structure to the landscape. It helps foster a relationship with local vegetation, softening the divide between nature and built space.

Programmatic Organization and Visitor Experience

The layout consists of both interior and exterior elements, enhancing how visitors engage with the site. A lobby serves as the entry point, guiding people up a vertical pathway that leads to two galleries and a large open exhibition hall. This journey ends at the CORE, a central sphere filled with knowledge focused on understanding humanity. The organization of spaces promotes an intuitive experience while encouraging exploration and reflection.

Public Integration and Community Space

Outside, cubic structures define areas that invite public interaction and community involvement. The exterior shell houses studios for various creative activities and features an observation point that offers a panoramic view. A network of stairs and pathways connects these functions, making movement fluid and natural. Additionally, a smaller volume holds a cafeteria and dining area, providing social spaces that enhance the visitor experience.

Attention to detail marks the design, where each element contributes to a strong connection with the surrounding environment. The careful arrangement of spaces allows the architecture to engage with its historical and cultural context, creating opportunities for visitors to appreciate both the landscape and the human experience it embodies.

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The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025: Celebrating Architectural Creativity and Visionary Unbuilt Designs with a Total Prize Fund of €100,000

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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

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