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 Retreat Designed for Mindfulness and Connection to Nature

Author:
Ana rita Gomes
Wooden Retreat Designed for Mindfulness and Connection to Nature

Project in-detail

Crafted from locally sourced wood, the meditation cabin integrates geometrical forms with its forest surroundings, promoting tranquility and reflection for users seeking a deeper connection with nature.
5 key facts about this project
01
Crafted entirely from locally sourced wood, enhancing ecological sustainability.
02
Incorporates geometrical forms to create distinct meditation areas.
03
The design allows for easy replication at multiple forest sites.
04
Features large openings to maximize natural light and forest views.
05
Promotes community engagement through shared meditation spaces.

Chashitsu is designed as a meditation cabin in a quiet forest setting. It focuses on the experience of mindfulness and deep interaction with nature. The building incorporates simple shapes, mainly squares and circles, to create spaces that encourage calmness and reflection. The layout is carefully arranged to support the needs of those seeking rest and tranquility.

Concept and Spatial Organization

The design revolves around a central core, guiding how visitors move through the space. This arrangement creates a direct connection between the cabin and the natural surroundings. As users circulate around the core, they are drawn into both the interior and the exterior, enhancing their overall experience of peace and nature.

Materiality and Environmental Integration

Wood is the primary material used in the construction, emphasizing a commitment to sustainability. The cabin is built with locally sourced timber, which helps reduce environmental impact while allowing the structure to blend into its forest environment. Over time, the wood will age gracefully, continuing to connect the cabin with the changing landscape around it.

Replicability and Community Engagement

Chashitsu is designed to be easily replicated, allowing for multiple cabins to be placed in various locations throughout the forest. This feature enriches visitors' experiences, as each cabin serves as its own quiet sanctuary. The presence of several cabins promotes a sense of community, inviting individuals to engage in meditation in a shared natural setting.

Internal Experience and Atmosphere

Inside the cabin, the design focuses on comfort and simplicity. Each area is created with a specific purpose, contributing to an overall calming atmosphere. Natural light floods the interiors through large openings, connecting users with the forest outside. These elements work together to create a space that is ideal for relaxation and introspection, inviting users to pause and appreciate their surroundings.

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