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 Marble Elements Creating Reflection Spaces in a Forest Setting

Authors:
Alejandro Lezcano Maestre, Davide Milidoni
Vertical Marble Elements Creating Reflection Spaces in a Forest Setting
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Elevated structural posts resembling tree trunks create a contemplative open sky room of marble and light, designed for reflection and remembrance within the Riga Forest Cemetery.
5 key facts about this project
01
Elevated vertical posts mimic forest tree trunks, enhancing the connection with nature.
02
Integrated artificial lighting creates a guiding path for evening visits and contemplative reflection.
03
The modular layout allows for an evolving structure that adapts over time.
04
Distinct pathways are marked by footprints, fostering a sense of shared memory.
05
Marble surfaces provide a dignified and serene atmosphere for remembrance.

The Columbarium for the Riga Forest Cemetery offers a contemplative space within a natural landscape. Located among a forest, the design functions as a place for remembrance and reflection. It connects elements of nature with the themes of life and death, creating an open sky room that encourages thoughtful engagement with the environment.

Vertical Elements
-
The design incorporates vertical structures that resemble tree trunks. These posts elevate the experience and create a balance between heaviness and lightness. Arranged in a modular fashion, they mirror the growth patterns found in the forest. This arrangement allows the structure to evolve over time, reflecting the dynamic relationship between the building and its natural setting.

Themes of Memory and Emptiness
-
Memory and emptiness are central themes in the design. The columbarium provides distinct areas that invite contemplation. Pathways shaped by the footprints of visitors enhance accessibility and strengthen connections to shared memories. The design cleverly overlaps elements to organize the layout, guiding movement through the space and creating spots for quiet reflection.

The Role of Light
-
Artificial lighting is an important feature of the design. It enhances the relationship between the living and the deceased. As night falls, the lighting changes the atmosphere, illuminating paths and creating a visual connection that deepens the experience of remembrance. This balance of light and shadow adds layers to the environment, inviting visitors to engage more deeply with their surroundings.

Materials
-
Marble slabs and an internal metal structure are used in the columbarium. The marble brings a sense of dignity, while the metal allows for the necessary support and flexibility in the design. This combination not only ensures the structure's stability but also aligns with the natural context of the forest.

The design culminates in a carefully arranged collection of urn spaces. The lighting enhances each memory, making individual experiences resonate within the quiet embrace of the forest.

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