Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

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

Zero Mass Water Panels and SIP Construction in a Compact Micro-Home

Authors:
Joey Aoun, Milena Stojkovic
Zero Mass Water Panels and SIP Construction in a Compact Micro-Home
Explore the full project presentation!
Subscribers only
Incorporating Zero Mass water panels and Structural Insulated Panels, this compact micro-home provides a sustainable living solution tailored for urban settings, addressing the housing needs of young professionals and the elderly.
5 key facts about this project
01
Incorporates Zero Mass water panels for efficient humidity capture.
02
Designed with Structural Insulated Panels for enhanced thermal performance.
03
Transforms easily from a single space to designated functional areas.
04
Includes a multifunctional garden wall for outdoor storage and utility.
05
Strategically positioned to support intergenerational living arrangements.

Set within the urban landscape of London, the micro-home project addresses important housing challenges faced by young professionals and elderly citizens. It offers a practical living solution that fits well into existing residential areas while focusing on sustainability and affordability. The design centers around flexibility, allowing spaces to adapt to the needs of the occupant, making it particularly suited for today's urban environment.

Adaptability

The micro-home is designed as a modular unit that can be transported easily in a cube container. This flexibility allows it to be placed in residential gardens, promoting intergenerational living. By doing this, the design supports both independence and close connections among family members. The layout is efficient, ensuring comfort without sacrificing important features.

Sustainability Features

The design aims for net-zero energy use by 2025. It uses a 3.8 kW photovoltaic system to meet seasonal energy needs, paired with two photovoltaic-thermal panels that produce both electricity and hot water. Sustainable water management is also a focus; Zero Mass Water Panels capture humidity for drinking water, while a rainwater collection system and greywater reuse add to the environmental benefits.

Functional Layout

The layout prioritizes functionality and comfort in a compact form. Open living spaces give residents the freedom to arrange their homes as they see fit. A standout feature is the transformable bathroom, which can serve multiple functions, making the most of the available space. Additionally, the garden wall serves as a practical storage solution for bicycles and gardening tools, enhancing the interaction between the home and outdoor environment.

Technological Integration

Smart technology plays an important role in this design, with a home hub and visual analytics dashboard included to help monitor energy use and environmental conditions. This integration allows residents to manage their living spaces more effectively.

The use of Structural Insulated Panels helps maintain thermal performance while reducing the overall carbon footprint. Such careful choices reinforce a commitment to sustainable living in the urban setting of London, highlighting how thoughtful design can create practical solutions for modern challenges.

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