Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Wing-Like Structure Highlights Local Materials in Accessible Observation Tower

Authors:
Joost Leeuwenburg, Reinis Andersons
Wing-Like Structure Highlights Local Materials in Accessible Observation Tower
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Inspired by the local Pied Wagtail, the observation tower integrates a wing-like structure with wheelchair accessibility and locally sourced materials, creating an elevated viewpoint within the diverse landscape of Kemeri National Park.
5 key facts about this project
01
Inspired by the native Pied Wagtail, the design reflects local wildlife.
02
The structure minimizes ground contact to reduce environmental impact.
03
Footbridges and ramps provide full accessibility for all visitors.
04
Solar lighting extends the usability of the tower after dark.
05
Locally sourced materials create a strong connection to the surrounding landscape.

The Moticella Experience is located in Kemeri National Park, a diverse ecological area that is home to various species, including the Pied Wagtail, a bird that symbolizes the region. The project aims to enhance the experience of visitors while connecting them to the unique landscape. The observation tower features a design inspired by the bird, mimicking its form with a fluid structure that changes depending on the viewer's perspective. This relationship between nature and architecture lies at the heart of the project’s concept.

Accessibility Features

The design places significant importance on making the location accessible for all visitors. Footbridges, ramps, viewing platforms, and seating areas have been thoughtfully integrated to accommodate people with mobility challenges. This attention to inclusivity ensures that everyone can enjoy the park and its sights. It reflects a modern understanding of how public spaces should work for a diverse range of visitors.

Environmental Considerations

Attention to the environment plays a vital role in the design. The structure seeks to minimize its footprint by lightly touching the ground, reducing any disruption to the surrounding habitat. Locally sourced materials help the tower blend into its natural surroundings while promoting sustainability. This approach allows the project to exist in harmony with the flora and fauna of the park.

Lighting and Ambience

Solar lighting features are included to add functionality after dark. This aspect of the design enhances the experience for evening visitors. The lights create a welcoming atmosphere while guiding those who explore the park at night. They emphasize the tower’s form and offer a balance between visibility and maintaining the area’s natural beauty.

As the sun sets, the tower casts long, shifting shadows that interact with the landscape, underscoring its connection to the environment and inviting exploration from all who pass.

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

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
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
Final registration deadline 4 February 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
Museum of 
Emotions

Use architecture to create different emotional states

Edition #8 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
Early bird registration deadline 25 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