Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Vertical Bars of Colored Glass Create Interactive Memorial Space with Sustainable Materials

Authors:
Saeed Alitajer, Mina Araqchian, Katayon Kazemi, Maryam Khadivar
Vertical Bars of Colored Glass Create Interactive Memorial Space with Sustainable Materials
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Upright colored glass bars form a tactile interaction space that embodies the historical connections of the Baltic States, serving as a memorial for collective remembrance and community engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
Vertical bars reflect the national colors of the Baltic States, creating a dynamic visual connection.
02
The design incorporates interactive spaces to facilitate public engagement and community discourse.
03
Sustainable materials, including steel and locally sourced timber, integrate environmental sensitivity.
04
Light transmits through the colored glass, producing varying atmospheric effects throughout the day.
05
Communal areas host exhibition spaces and cafés, promoting cultural exchange and remembrance.

### Overview

The contemporary memorial for the Baltic States is situated in a central urban location, designed to embody and celebrate the shared historical and cultural identity of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. With a focus on fostering community interaction, the memorial symbolizes the unity and resilience of the three nations, particularly emphasizing their collective experiences during nonviolent protests for independence. The design aims to create a dialogue between the architectural space and its visitors, inviting reflection on both historical and contemporary themes of freedom.

### Spatial Organization

The memorial's spatial strategy is characterized by an arrangement of vertical bars that form a dynamic environment. These bars are designed to guide movement and interaction among visitors while creating a rich interplay of light and shadow. This immersive experience encourages exploration and contemplation, linking the architectural elements with themes of community and historical awareness. The layout supports various functions, including exhibition areas and communal gathering spots, which enhances public engagement and discourse.

### Material Strategy

Material selection plays a crucial role in defining the memorial's identity and performance. Key materials used in the construction include:

- **Glass**: Utilized in the vertical bars, promoting light refraction and creating shifting illumination throughout the day.
- **Steel**: Provides structural support, ensuring durability while allowing for an open and inviting design.
- **Concrete**: Employed for flooring and foundational elements, contributing to the robustness required for high foot traffic.
- **Wood**: Incorporated into benches and gathering spaces, adding warmth and facilitating social interaction.
- **Vegetation**: Integrated throughout the site, this element enhances the visual appeal and biodiversity, softening the overall aesthetic of the concrete and steel.

These materials collectively engage users on multiple sensory levels, enhancing the memorial's role as a place for reflection and connection.

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 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
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
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
Early bird registration deadline 2 October 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
Advance registration deadline 9 October 2025
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
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

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