This competition is part of a strategic partnership between Buildner and ArchDaily that aims to explore "The Contemporary Home".

Learn more

Introduction

COMPETITION ORGANISERS
The Home of 
Shadows

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 #4 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 competition brief is available for download at any time in the following languages: English, Italian, French and Spanish.

FULL COMPETITION BRIEF [ENG] [IT] [FR] [ES]

Download brief

Prizes

Prize fund

10,000 €

1ST PLACE

5,000 €

2ND PLACE

2,500 €

3RD PLACE

1,000 €

Buildner Student Award

1,000 €

(more details)

Buildner Sustainability Award

500 € 

(more details)

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
&

Jury 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] 

Fernanda Caneles

Fernanda Caneles Arquitectura

Mexico

Sarah Broadstock

Architect at Studio Bark

United Kingdom

Sandra Baggerman

Trahan Architects

USA

Nikita Morell

Founder of Architects WordShop

Australia

Thongchai Chansamak

Sher Maker

Thailand

Patcharada Inplang

Sher Maker

Thailand

Jason deCaires Taylor

Underwater Sculpture

United States

Ignacio Laguillo

Laguillo Architects

Spain

Design assessment

Participants will have the option to request a personalised in-depth design assessment of their project for a fee after the competition results are published.

This feedback highlights the strengths of each submission and identifies areas for refinement, offering participants valuable insights into their work.

The design assessment serves as both a learning tool and a reflection of a project's performance. It helps participants better understand their submission, see how it compares with other entries, and identify opportunities for growth in future projects.

Key dates

Send reminders

Registration fees

I'm
I will pay in

140 €

120 €

140 €

120 €

+4.5% VAT

 

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.

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Architecture competitions newsletter
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.
Absolutely not! You’ll always keep full ownership and authorship of your project. Submitting to a Buildner competition doesn’t mean giving up your rights — it simply gives us permission to share and promote your work as part of the competition. We may feature your project on our website, social media, newsletters, books, or exhibitions — all to celebrate your creativity and inspire others. This permission helps us give your work the visibility it deserves, without needing to ask you each time we publish it.
To register, simply click on “Register Now,” fill out all necessary fields, select your preferred payment method, and submit your details. You will be redirected to PayPal or a card payment gateway to settle the competition fee. Upon confirmation of your payment, we will send you an email containing your Unique Identification Code (UIC). You must then log in to your Buildner account using your architecture.info credentials and validate your UIC to complete the process. Learn more here - https://architecturecompetitions.com/how-to-enter-a-competition
You can add/remove/edit team member information as often as you want in the upload panel, up until the submission deadline. Learn more here - https://architecturecompetitions.com/how-to-add-team-members-after-april-2023
Yes we are in the process of negotiating with multiple international industry-related media representatives. The list of media partners is constantly updated on our website, please check it regularly to find latest updates.
Yes. If the jury panel selects a Student award's submission for the top 3, it will automatically be awarded both prizes.
Yes. If the jury panel selects a Sustainability award's submission for the top 3, it will automatically be awarded both prizes.
No. Competition entries are evaluated anonymously. The participant registration type is only revealed upon the announcement of the results.
Please contact us – [email protected] and we will address the problem directly.
As AI-generated images may be based on pre-existing work or generated using proprietary algorithms, it is best to check the specific terms and conditions of the AI tool used to generate the image to determine its ownership status. It may also be necessary to seek legal advice to fully understand the ownership rights and any restrictions that may apply. In general, it is not recommended to consider AI-generated images as your sole work or intellectual property unless you have obtained explicit permission to do so.
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Competitions serve as a platform for us to explore fresh ideas, challenge ourselves, and experiment with cutting-edge design concepts. They grant us the freedom to think creatively and approach problems in unconventional ways, fostering a culture of innovation within our team. This environment also enables us to continuously refine our skills as we engage with diverse design briefs and problem-solving scenarios, offering a strong sense of growth and development.

We participate in architecture competitions because they offer a space for exploration beyond the constraints of conventional practice. Especially as a recently graduated architect and someone from other disciplines who are interested in architecture, we find them valuable for testing ideas, shaping our voice, and showing the direction we want our career to take. They allow us to engage with topics we are passionate about—such as housing, adaptability, and sustainability—even if those themes aren't always accessible in the early stages of professional practice. Competitions also create a space for dialogue: with other designers, with urgent issues, and with possible futures. In addition, they provide an opportunity to push boundaries, challenge assumptions, and develop a more critical and personal approach to architecture.

We take part in architecture competitions because they give us the freedom to experiment and exercise our creativity beyond the constraints of everyday practice. Competitions also offer a moment to pause, step back, and gain a critical perspective on our ongoing projects. Each new challenge brings valuable insights, and we often find ourselves integrating the ideas and solutions we develop into our daily work.

We participate in architecture competitions because they provide a space for exploration unconstrained by commercial, procedural, or pragmatic limitations. Competitions allow us to test ideas, challenge norms, and engage with global conversations about the future of the built environment. As a team with diverse architectural backgrounds, these platforms give us an opportunity to merge our different strengths from strategic thinking and sustainability to narrative-driven design and spatial experimentation. Competitions are a way to continually challenge our understanding of architecture as an experience, not just a discipline. They push us to rethink how spaces influence behaviour, how design can respond to social needs, and how architecture can shape more meaningful ways of living.

I enjoy participating in architecture competitions because each one is an opportunity for professional growth. Every competition leaves me enriched, with new perspectives, refined skills, and a strengthened creative approach.

THE HAPI HOMES AWARD
Competition MICROHOME #10

I participate in architecture competitions as an opportunity to learn, to identify meaningful problems and offer thoughtful, beautiful solutions. More than that, I’m curious about how my ideas can contribute to the broader architectural dialogue. What perspectives do I bring? What can I create that serves others? These challenges help me uncover my values as a designer and push me to grow.

I participate in architecture competitions as a setting to follow a design idea to its most extreme end.

 

KINGSPAN COMPLIMENT
Competition MICROHOME #10

Architecture competitions are a great opportunity to push the limits of our creativity and work in an unrestricted and speculative way which can establish an interesting narrative and really push it to its limits - which can be hard to achieve in day-to-day practice. In the case of the Microhome 10 Competition, our experience of residential architecture in London has highlighted the housing crisis that we are in. The Competition gave us the opportunity to develop on an innovative design solution to this crisis.

KINGSPAN COMPLIMENT
Competition MICROHOME #10

We participate in architecture competitions as they provide opportunities to explore new design methods and test ideas beyond the constraints of typical briefs. Competitions encourage a level of experimentation that expands our architectural thinking and allows us to investigate how theoretical concepts can translate into tangible solutions.

We participate in competitions because they provide a space for creative freedom, allowing us to explore ideas without the typical limitations of professional practice. They enable us to take on conceptual challenges, experiment with new strategies, and dive deeper into topics we consider priorities, such as minimal housing, climate resilience, and social integration. Furthermore, competitions motivate us to grow as a team, strengthen our methodologies, and share our vision with a global community.

Celebrate your idea. Register today!