Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Wellness Core Emphasizing Natural Light Within a Timber Retreat

Authors:
Olivia Wong, Justin Crook
Wellness Core Emphasizing Natural Light Within a Timber Retreat
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
A central Wellness Core, abundant in natural light, enhances the sense of tranquility in this timber retreat designed as an intimate escape for two.
5 key facts about this project
01
A central Wellness Core facilitates relaxation with dual basins and expansive views.
02
The cabin's layout features distinct zones for privacy and social interaction.
03
Rainwater harvesting systems support sustainable resource use.
04
Bi-fold shutters enhance natural ventilation and connect indoor and outdoor spaces.
05
Utilizes locally sourced timber to reduce environmental impact and promote warmth.

Harmony House embodies a thoughtful approach to design, situated in a peaceful area near the Firth of Thames and Coromandel Ranges. The cabin serves as a retreat for two, focusing on relaxation and deepening the connection to nature. The overall concept revolves around the idea of harmony, which seeks balance between the human-made environment and the natural world.

Spatial Organization

The layout consists of three different zones: the Resting Quarter and the Living Quarter. This division allows for clear separation of functions within the cabin. The Resting Quarter emphasizes wellness, featuring a central Wellness Core that includes a bathing area and dual basins. This core is designed to allow natural light to flood the space and provide views of the surrounding landscape, enhancing the atmosphere of tranquility.

Environmental Sustainability

Sustainability plays a key role in the cabin's design. The structure uses timber, which adds warmth and contributes to resource efficiency. Solar panels and systems for rainwater harvesting further show a commitment to reducing environmental impact. The arrangement of spaces makes the most of natural light and ventilation, allowing the cabin to function well within its environment.

Architectural Language

The design language is marked by simple forms, complemented by strategic placements of glass and a gently sloped roofline. These architectural choices provide shelter from the weather while promoting interaction with the outdoors. Features like bi-fold shutters enable easy airflow and create openings that frame beautiful views of the landscape, enhancing the experience of being in nature.

Experience and Discovery

The arrangement of spaces invites occupants to explore and engage with their surroundings. Concealed areas within the layout create a sense of curiosity, encouraging guests to wander and discover what lies beyond each corner. This thoughtful design allows for both quiet moments and lively interactions, enriching the overall experience. Each viewpoint inside Harmony House offers a distinct perspective, reflecting the careful balance between privacy and openness, underscoring the connection to the landscape outside.

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
Concrete 
Pavilion

Design a concrete pavilion

Edition #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 27 November 2025
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

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 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