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 Serenity Embraced by Nature in a Baltic Hospice

Authors:
Krzysztof Przybylo, Wojciech Smyczek, Piotr Szendera
Wooden Serenity Embraced by Nature in a Baltic Hospice
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Framed by expansive glass windows and surrounded by a rich ecosystem, the hospice seamlessly blends with its Baltic setting while providing a tranquil and supportive environment for end-of-life care.
5 key facts about this project
01
Framed by trees, the design enhances connection with nature.
02
Expansive glass windows promote natural light and views of the landscape.
03
Private care areas are discreetly hidden behind frosted glass partitions.
04
Wood elements create a warm, inviting atmosphere throughout the interior.
05
Outdoor patios extend living spaces and encourage engagement with the environment.

The hospice project is a thoughtful approach to modern healthcare environments, set in a location that offers views of the Baltic Sea while connecting to the urban space of Gdynia. Designed to change how people view hospices, it focuses on comfort and community rather than fear. The building works with the landscape, placing emphasis on the natural surroundings as a means to enhance the overall experience for patients and their families.

Architectural Concept

The design aims to redefine the typical experience associated with hospice care. By embedding the building in the landscape, the structure encourages a strong relationship with nature. It sits among trees, allowing those who enter to feel a sense of belonging within the environment. This connection to the outdoors is central to the vision, providing an emotional benefit that can help ease the difficult realities of end-of-life care.



Design Elements

A key feature of the design is the use of large glass windows. These windows not only allow light to flood the interiors but also offer views of the lush surroundings. This creates a feeling of openness, helping to lift spirits and inviting nature inside. The connection to the outside world is reinforced through these transparent elements, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the space and providing a comforting setting.



Spatial Configuration

Inside, the layout offers a mix of communal areas and private spaces. This thoughtful arrangement caters to the varied needs of patients and their families. Some spaces encourage social interaction, while others allow for quiet reflection. Areas that provide medical assistance are carefully hidden behind frosted glass. This design choice respects the need for privacy while maintaining the welcoming character of the hospice.



Material Selection

The project features a selection of materials that support the overall aim of creating a warm and inviting environment. Wood plays a significant role, adding a layer of comfort that resonates throughout the interiors. Warm lighting complements this choice, creating spaces that feel cozy and reassuring, especially during difficult moments.



The design includes inviting patios, extending living spaces outdoors. This connection to nature enhances the overall experience, allowing individuals to find peace in their surroundings. Each detail reflects a commitment to rethinking how spaces can facilitate care and connection.

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 Next House: USA
The Next House: USA
20,000 USD Prize
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #5
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
The Architect’s 
Stair
The Architect’s Stair
Take a step and make a statement! Edition #3
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
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 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
new
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
Early bird registration deadline 19 November 2025
new
Iceland 
Slow Sauna

Design slow sauna in Iceland

project COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 26 November 2025
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
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
new
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
Early bird registration deadline 20 November 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
Final registration deadline 26 November 2025
Kinderspace

Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

Architecture for Children’s Development #3 ideas COMPETITION
Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 26 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
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 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
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