Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Twisting High-Rise Featuring Energy-Efficient Glass and Biophilic Green Roofs in Urban Setting

Twisting High-Rise Featuring Energy-Efficient Glass and Biophilic Green Roofs in Urban Setting
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Characterized by a twisting form and integrated wind turbines, the design maximizes energy efficiency while incorporating biophilic elements and community spaces in a mixed-use high-rise development.
5 key facts about this project
01
The design incorporates integrated wind turbines for renewable energy generation.
02
Twisting form minimizes wind load and optimizes sunlight exposure.
03
Biophilic green roofs enhance biodiversity and improve insulation.
04
Large terraces promote outdoor living and community interaction.
05
Energy-efficient glass façades contribute to reduced energy consumption.

## Overview

The Cloud Bee Tower is located in Pumphouse Park, New York City, designed to advance principles of sustainability and urban integration. The project reinterprets traditional skyscraper aesthetics and functionality by merging architectural form with environmental responsibility, aimed at fostering sustainable urban living.

### Design and Structure

The tower features a distinctive twisting form that transitions smoothly along its height. This dynamic profile is engineered to reduce wind load, enhance sunlight exposure, and maximize views of the city. The design incorporates biophilic principles, promoting human interaction with natural elements and prioritizing connectivity to the surrounding environment.

### Material Selection and Sustainability

A diverse range of materials is employed throughout the structure. High-strength concrete provides stability while accommodating the building's unique form. Large, energy-efficient glass facades facilitate natural light entry, creating inviting interior spaces, while lightweight aluminum serves as resilient exterior cladding. Sustainable wood accents enhance the aesthetic appeal in communal and residential areas. The design includes innovative features such as integrated wind turbines for renewable energy generation and rainwater collection systems, reinforcing a commitment to minimizing the urban carbon footprint.

### User Experience and Community Synergy

The layout promotes openness and flexibility, with multifunctional spaces designed to adapt to various community activities. The strategic incorporation of green spaces, balconies, and terraces enhances outdoor living opportunities and invites community interaction. Efficient circulation pathways are integrated to alleviate congestion, fostering a sense of community and connection among residents and visitors.

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 Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
MICROHOME 2026
MICROHOME 2026
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11
The Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 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
Rome 
Rain Rooms

Design a rain room for Rome

ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
Iceland 
Slow Sauna

Design slow sauna in Iceland

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 28 January 2026
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
Advance registration deadline 18 February 2026

Recurring architecture competitions

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 Home of 
Shadows

Design a home with no artificial lighting

The light studies. Edition #4 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 14 January 2026
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
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
Advance registration deadline 22 January 2026
new
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
Early bird registration deadline 11 February 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