Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Tree Bark Huts with 3d-Printed Geopolymer Structures for Eco-Friendly Retreats

Authors:
Yong Huang, Eduardo Cabrera, Madeline Montgomery, Alec Leibengood
Tree Bark Huts with 3d-Printed Geopolymer Structures for Eco-Friendly Retreats
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Constructed from processed tree barks and reinforced with 3D-printed geopolymers, the traveler huts provide eco-friendly accommodations that harmonize with the natural landscape while facilitating communal living at Caramel Shore.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed using processed tree barks, enhancing sustainability.
02
Incorporates 3D-printed geopolymers for structural strength.
03
Huts designed to minimize land disturbance without foundations.
04
Internal layouts prioritize views of the surrounding river.
05
Central pavilion fosters community interaction among guests.

The design at Caramel Shore in Latvia focuses on creating accommodations that blend with the natural environment. Inspired by local materials such as peeling barks and fallen tree branches, it uses these elements as building blocks in a sustainable approach. A central pavilion features a sauna and fireplace, serving as a gathering space that encourages social interaction. Surrounding this pavilion are traveler huts, which offer privacy while still promoting a sense of community. This design reflects an understanding of the environment and a commitment to preserving the natural landscape.

Design Integration with the Environment
The traveler huts are built directly on the land without traditional foundations, allowing them to connect with the site’s contours. The ring-shaped structures are designed to be either printed on-site or prefabricated, resulting in minimal disturbance to the natural surroundings. This strategy ensures that the construction has a smaller impact on the environment and respects the integrity of the landscape.

Use of Natural Materials
Advancements in technology play a significant role in this project. Using 3D printing, materials like processed tree barks and branches are combined with geopolymers and cement to create sturdy structures. This method reduces waste and creates a strong link to the local ecosystem. Employing natural materials allows the accommodations to reflect the area's character while supporting sustainable practices in construction.

Practical and Comfortable Layout
Inside each hut, spaces are organized for both comfort and functionality. Beds are placed to face the river, providing a calming view of the water and the surrounding nature. The kitchen and dining areas look toward the central pavilion, encouraging interaction among guests. Essential systems like plumbing and geothermal heating are integrated into the wall design, promoting efficiency without compromising the visual appeal.

Attention to community spaces is a key feature of the design. The arrangement allows guests to connect with one another while still providing private retreats in the huts. This thoughtful balance enhances the experience of being in a natural setting, making the most of the beautiful surroundings at Caramel Shore. The project emphasizes how architecture can work with nature, creating a living space that respects and celebrates the environment.

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