Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Wooden Envelope Embraces Nature With Inverted Domes and Integrated Educational Spaces

Authors:
Horacio eduardo Sessa, Juan cruz Mill
Wooden Envelope Embraces Nature With Inverted Domes and Integrated Educational Spaces

Project in-detail

Intricately designed with a wooden envelope and inverted domes, the visitor center in Kemeri Bog Park seamlessly integrates educational spaces into the surrounding wetland landscape, enhancing interaction with nature.
5 key facts about this project
01
Retractable half-covered transition spaces enhance the connection between indoor and outdoor environments.
02
The structure's form is inspired by bird nests, emphasizing natural integration.
03
A wooden esplanade connects educational activities while promoting visitor interaction.
04
Inverted domes equipped with steel tensioners ensure structural stability and visual interest.
05
The design employs local wooden boards to mirror existing pathways and reinforce cultural context.

The proposal for Kemeri Bog Park is located in Latvia, an area rich in natural beauty and ecological significance. The design integrates with the landscape, serving as an access point that encourages exploration of the wetland area. This concept aims to bridge the man-made and natural environments, focusing on enhancing the visitor experience through thoughtful design that draws from the imagery of bird nests.

Concept and Design Approach

The approach emphasizes a strong connection to the landscape. Closed spaces are designed to avoid a fully enclosed feeling. Instead, they feature a wooden envelope that creates visual boundaries with open frames. This design choice fosters a light and airy atmosphere, allowing for half-covered transition spaces that harmonize with the surrounding trees and plants.

Visitor Interaction and Educational Spaces

The outer areas are designed to be interactive and educational, encouraging visitors to learn about the local ecosystem. These spaces are intended for various activities, offering opportunities for teaching, exploration, and engagement with nature. The goal is to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the wetland environment and its inhabitants.

Materiality and Structural Systems

Specific materials are chosen to maintain aesthetic coherence and function. Wooden boards echo the existing paths, reinforcing a consistent look throughout the park. Arches are built using a straightforward metal joint system, which allows for efficient assembly. Inverted domes are supported by steel tensioners that help manage the forces acting on the structure, ensuring stability and durability over time.

The design includes a wooden esplanade that connects different activities, promoting flow and interaction throughout the park. This feature is both functional and attractive, enhancing the overall experience while allowing visitors to appreciate the serene beauty of the landscape.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

MICROHOME 10: Celebrating Small-Scale Living with €100,000 Prize Fund and Kingspan’s Innovation

`
Competition organisers

The MICROHOME 10 competition invites participants to submit visionary designs for off-grid, modular microhomes that push the limits of sustainable, small-scale living. Organised by Buildner in partnership with Kingspan and Hapi Homes, this tenth edition sets the challenge of designing a dwelling for two people within a maximum floor area of 25 m², encouraging bold solutions adaptable to any urban or rural location. The competition continues Buildner’s mission to foster innovative approaches to compact, energy-efficient housing that can address pressing global challenges.

This year’s edition offers a generous total prize fund of €100,000, including the Kingspan Award for designs that integrate high-performance Kingspan products and the Hapi Homes Award for a project selected for real-world construction. In addition to cash prizes, the winners gain international exposure through Buildner’s media partnerships, publications, and a dedicated MICROHOME magazine, further amplifying their ideas to the wider architectural community.

Key dates for MICROHOME 10 include the closing date for registration on 25 September 2025, the submission deadline on 29 October 2025 (11:59 p.m. London time), and the announcement of winners on 9 December 2025. These milestones ensure participants have clear timelines to develop and present their concepts, with early registration discounts available to support students and emerging designers worldwide.

MICROHOME

Design a new small-scale home concept in the 10th edition of MICROHOME — 100,000 € prize + construction

100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 € + Potential realisation
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 25 September 2025

Enter an open architecture
competition now

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Affordable Housing Series 19th Edition
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #4
MICROHOME
MICROHOME
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
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