This competition is part of a strategic partnership between Buildner and ArchDaily that aims to explore "The Contemporary Home".
Learn moreThe contemporary home
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Introduction
COMPETITION ORGANISERS
Light is one of the most important factors when designing homes, and the use of natural light is vital in creating a space that feels both comfortable, inviting and practical. It could be said that lighting is a form of language that architects can use to communicate emotions in the spaces and structures they design.
As such, shadow plays as much a role in influencing the feel of a space as light. The harmony between light and shadow allows architects and designers to create spaces with depth and texture, creating different moods for different purposes. In many cases, it could come down to the simple placement of a single window or door.
For the Home of Shadows #3 competition, participants are asked to design a home for a hypothetical couple with just one rule - there can be no artificial light within the home. The jury will be looking for designs that study how natural light can influence and shape architectural decisions.
Participants may select any theoretical site for their Home of Shadows and propose a design solution for the fully functional building.
Download the full competition brief for more information!
The competition is open to all. No professional qualification is required. Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (4 team members maximum). Correspondence with organizers must be conducted in English; All information submitted by participants must be in English
Brief
The full competition brief can be downloaded as often as required; no additional information will be provided after registration.
(!) Full Competition Brief
Prizes
Prize fund
10,000 €
1ST PLACE
5,000 €
2ND PLACE
2,500 €
3RD PLACE
1,000 €
6 Honourable mentions & certificates
Buildner will acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.
Publicity campaign
The Buildner’s extensive global publicity campaign for the competition winners:
Buildner's two million
The results are published on buildner.com, a leading website in the architecture industry, attracting over one million unique visitors annually. Additionally, the campaign extends to Buildner's social networks, which boast over 800,000 followers combined, and through newsletter campaigns reaching over 200,000 subscribers.
Interview and movie
Winners will have the opportunity to submit a movie and an interview, boosting their recognizability and helping to build their name in the industry.
Extensive media network
Buildner leverages an extensive network of media industry leaders to publish the competition results. This broadens the audience further, ensuring that participants' work is showcased across multiple platforms known for their influence and reach in the architecture and design sectors.
Publicity
ArchDaily feature
As part of the collaboration between Buildner and ArchDaily, the competition winners will be showcased on ArchDaily, a leading architecture news platform.
This feature will greatly boost the winners' visibility to millions of architecture professionals and enthusiasts worldwide, increasing their chances for new opportunities, attracting new clients, and establishing their reputation in the industry.
Read more about Buildner and ArchDaily partnership
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Meet your jury
Extended list of jury biographiesJury members shall under no circumstances be contacted by competition participants or their representatives. Participants who attempt to contact jury members, shall be disqualified.
All jury members are involved in the evaluation based on their availability at that time. All communication regarding the competition should only be carried out with Buildner staff. For any questions please contact us on [email protected]
Sarah Broadstock
Architect at Studio Bark
United Kingdom
Sandra Baggerman
Trahan Architects
USA
Thongchai Chansamak
Sher Maker
Thailand
Ophélie Herranz
Director, Nomos Architects
Spain
Patcharada Inplang
Sher Maker
Thailand
Nikita Morell
Founder, Architects WordShop
Australia
Blake T. Smith
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group
United States
Key dates
Send remindersClosing date for registration
29 January 2025
Competition Q&A deadline
4 February 2025
In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants.
No new questions will be answered after this deadline.
Closing date for project submission
3 March 2025
23:59 (LONDON TIME)
Announcement of the winners
15 April 2025
Competition Q&A deadline
4 February 2025
In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants.
No new questions will be answered after this deadline.
Registration fees
STUDENT REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Contact us to receive special student rates for group registrations (discount applies for 3+ registrations from one university/school) and to receive further information and support for getting your students involved in architecture competitions. Send us request from your university email address along with basic information about yourself and your university/school. Please note that only recognized university staff can apply for the reduced student rate.
In the context of this competition, any light sources besides the sun, moon, and stars are considered artificial light.
In the context of this competition, fire is considered an artificial light source.
The purpose of this competition is to explore the relationship between our built environment and the use of artificial light sources. Participants are encouraged to submit proposals that not only address lighting solutions but also consider the overall functionality of the home and its potential impact on the inhabitants' lifestyles. Since the only permissible light source is natural light, the challenge is to think creatively and come up with solutions that can make the home functional and livable even during nighttime hours. The competition aims to push boundaries and explore new ways of designing homes that are sustainable, functional, and livable with the use of natural light only.
The competition's primary focus is to redefine our ways of living by exploring innovative and sustainable designs that work in harmony with natural light sources, such as sunlight, moonlight, and starlight, in their direct forms. While alternative methods of transforming natural light, like those mentioned, are certainly intriguing and have potential applications, they may not fully align with the competition's objectives. The goal of this competition is to encourage designs that embrace and maximize the use of direct natural light during daylight hours, emphasizing sustainability and a deeper connection with nature. By seeking to transform or manipulate natural light, these alternative methods may be perceived as diverging from the competition's spirit and intent. Therefore, we recommend focusing on design solutions that directly utilize sunlight, moonlight, or starlight, promoting a fundamental shift in our relationship with natural light and fostering an environment in harmony with nature. By doing so, your submission will better align with the competition's purpose and increase your chances of success.
Celebrate your idea.
Register today!
