Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Vegetated Roof Garden and Barjeel Integration in Sustainable Prefabricated Housing

Vegetated Roof Garden and Barjeel Integration in Sustainable Prefabricated Housing
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Incorporating a vegetated roof garden and a traditional Barjeel, this sustainably designed prefabricated residence promotes natural ventilation and energy efficiency while providing a cohesive family living space.
5 key facts about this project
01
Incorporates a Barjeel for natural cooling and ventilation.
02
Utilizes prefabricated cross-laminated timber panels for structural efficiency.
03
Features charred wooden shingles for enhanced durability and fire resistance.
04
Includes a vegetated roof garden to promote local biodiversity.
05
Designed with modular components for future adaptability.

## Project Overview

Located in the United Arab Emirates, this architectural design incorporates traditional Emirati elements within a contemporary framework, emphasizing sustainable practices and innovative construction techniques. The project aims to foster communal living while balancing privacy and climate adaptability, which is critical in the region's hot desert environment.

### Cultural Integration and Architectural Features

The design incorporates three significant cultural features: the Barjeel (Wind Tower), Cooling Courtyard, and Mashrabiya. Each element has been thoughtfully integrated to enhance both functionality and aesthetic appeal.

- **Barjeel (Wind Tower)**: Functions as a natural ventilation system, channeling cooling breezes into the interior while integrating turbines for energy harnessing.
- **Cooling Courtyard**: Central to the layout, this feature fosters community interaction and provides natural cooling, connecting various living spaces in a shaded environment.
- **Mashrabiya**: Wooden lattice screens serve to shield interior spaces from direct sunlight while maintaining privacy, utilizing modern solar shading techniques to optimize natural light.

### Material Selection and Construction Approach

The project employs Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS) for prefabricated construction, focusing on reducing waste and streamlining the building process. This choice supports:

- **Efficiency**: Minimization of construction waste and on-site assembly time.
- **Adaptability**: A modular design that allows for future expansion in both vertical and horizontal directions.

**Materials utilized include**:
- Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS)
- Timber for Mashrabiya
- Concrete segments created through 3D printing
- Vegetated roof garden components
- Solar panels
- Materials for reflective pools

### Spatial Organization and Community Focus

A well-considered spatial layout promotes adjacency and community engagement. The ground floor features interconnected functional areas, including the living room, dining area, kitchen, and maid/driver quarters, all arranged around the Cooling Courtyard to enhance connectivity and ventilation. Spaces designated for family gatherings, known as Majlis, reflect cultural practices adapted to contemporary living.

The upper floors consist of bedrooms strategically positioned around the central courtyard, allowing for privacy while maintaining cohesion with the overall design.

### Sustainability Measures

The project integrates a multifaceted sustainability strategy, emphasizing energy generation, water management, and passive cooling techniques:

- **Vegetated Roof Garden**: Provides energy absorption and environmental benefits.
- **Wind Turbines**: Incorporated into the Barjeel to utilize natural wind currents for energy production.
- **Solar Panels**: Positioned to optimize sunlight exposure and enhance energy generation capabilities.
- **Reflective Pools**: Serve both aesthetic and functional cooling purposes in shared spaces.

This design exemplifies the integration of traditional architecture with modern technology and sustainability practices, reshaping the framework for contemporary Emirati homes while addressing environmental challenges.

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