Introduction

COMPETITION ORGANISERS
Hospice - 
Home for the 
Terminally ill

Buildner is pleased to announce the results of its third edition of the Hospice – Home for the Terminally Ill Competition, an architectural ideas contest focused on creating supportive spaces for individuals facing terminal illnesses.

This year's competition continued exploring design concepts that go beyond medical treatment. Architects were invited to innovate and develop environments that promote comfort, dignity, and a sense of community for those dealing with life-threatening conditions.

Participants were tasked with designing a facility that accommodates up to fifteen visitors and five staff members, including essential spaces such as a common area with a library, a gathering room, a chapel, a kitchen, a dining room, a nurse’s room, and a therapy room for psychological support. They were encouraged to choose a theoretical site in their own country, allowing them to integrate local cultural, environmental, and social contexts into their designs. The competition aimed to showcase how thoughtful design can provide comfort and support during challenging times.

Buildner worked with an experienced international jury to review the received submissions: Alan Dunlop is an award-winning architect known for the Hazelwood School for dual sensory-impaired children and is a fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. Dr. Nirit Pilosof is an architect and researcher at Sheba Medical Centre, focusing on healthcare and technology, with faculty positions at Tel Aviv University and the University of Cambridge. Rubén García Rubio, co-founder of studioVRA, is an Assistant Professor at Tulane University with two Ph.D.s in architecture. Arturo Mc Clean works as Communications Manager at Miralles Tagliabue EMBT, contributing to projects like the Kálida Sant Pau Centre for cancer patients. Rion Philbin, founder of No So Studio, emphasizes playful design, exemplified by the Casa-mac home for a blind woman. Susanne Siepl-Coates, a former faculty member at Kansas State University, researched the link between architecture and human well-being. Sonsoles Vela Navarro, co-founder of studioVRA, has 15 years of architectural experience and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Tulane University. Steven Wright is a Principal at Perkins Eastman, specializing in healthcare design with degrees from the University of Virginia and Yale University.

Buildner and its jury panel thank all partipants for submitting their thoughtful work, and congratulate the winners.

We sincerely thank our jury panel
for their time and expertise

Alan Dunlop

Architect, Alan Dunlop Architects

UK

Dr Nirit Pilosof

Head of Research in Innovation and Transformation at Sheba Medical Centre

Israel

Rubén García Rubio

co-founder of studioVRA

Spain

Arturo Mc Clean

Architect at Barcelona based Miralles Tagliabue EMBT

Spain

Rion Philbin

Principal at No So

USA

Sonsoles Vela Navarro

co-founder of studioVRA

Spain

Susanne Siepl-Coates

Professor Dipl. Ing. Emerita of Architecture at Kansas State University

USA

Steven Wright

Principal at Perkins Eastman

USA

Enter the next competition edition
new
Hospice - 
Home for the 
Terminally ill

Design a safe and supportive space to those struggling with a terminal illness

Edition #4 ideas COMPETITION

1st Prize Winner +
Buildner Student Award

Project name

QUARRY GARDEN - OASIS OF HOPE

We appreciate the fact that competitions contribute to the development of new and high-quality projects. For the client, this means gaining access to multiple solutions for a specific brief, which enhances the quality of the final design by validating it through various approaches. Besides, we embrace competition as it stimulates our interest in the perspectives of other architects and the diversity of ideas. It is highly positive to see that architectural competitions are gaining prominence these days and encompass a wide range of interesting briefs at diverse scales.

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Authors
Samuel Andrejčák
Lukáš Bím
Country
Slovakia
+172 points Buildner University Rankings
  • 9/10 Linework
  • 9/10 Quality of drawings
  • 9/10 Balance of color
  • 9/10 Layout
  • 8/10 Hierarchy
  • 7/10 Annotation
  • 7/10 Text
  • 8/10 Clarity of story
  • 9/10 Clarity of diagrams
  • 9/10 Quality of overall presentation

2nd Prize Winner

Project name

The Gift of Time - A Place of Peace and Dignity

We participate in architectural competitions because they offer a great opportunity to develop and test our ideas in real-world contexts. Competitions push us beyond the academic framework, challenging us to face practical problems and think creatively. They also give us the freedom to experiment with different concepts and design approaches. Through these competitions, we exchange ideas with others, gain valuable experience in teamwork, and improve our time management skills—essential for our future careers. We believe that participating in these events not only sharpens our abilities but also allows us to bring fresh perspectives to the ongoing dialogue about architecture.

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Authors
Julia Pytko
Maciej Paweł Oberzig
Daniel Piotr Chiłła
Country
Poland
+92 points Buildner University Rankings
  • 9/10 Linework
  • 10/10 Quality of drawings
  • 10/10 Balance of color
  • 9/10 Layout
  • 9/10 Hierarchy
  • 7/10 Annotation
  • 6/10 Text
  • 8/10 Clarity of story
  • 8/10 Clarity of diagrams
  • 9/10 Quality of overall presentation

3rd Prize Winner

Project name

Crossing Paths

Architecture competitions are opportunities for you to push your creative limits as a designer. Such creative freedom is rare in the professional world, so seize the opportunity! Moreover, architecture competitions expose us to a wider variety of building typologies, programs, and scales not fully explored in academia. As we continue to engage with a diverse range of design prompts and challenges, our understanding of the built world further deepens. Many projects from these competitions have been a source of inspiration, and by participating, we aim to contribute to that spread of inspiration.

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Authors
Cici Xi Huang
Tsz Lok Kyle Wong
Tiffany Cin-See Chui
Edward Lincoln Sotingco Uy
Country
Canada
+72 points Buildner University Rankings
  • 8/10 Linework
  • 9/10 Quality of drawings
  • 9/10 Balance of color
  • 9/10 Layout
  • 10/10 Hierarchy
  • 8/10 Annotation
  • 7/10 Text
  • 8/10 Clarity of story
  • 8/10 Clarity of diagrams
  • 9/10 Quality of overall presentation

Buildner Sustainability Award

Project name

THE SYLVAN TRAIL

Because we want to learn more skills and have the opportunity to develop an interesting project in addition to those in our school’s curriculum.

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University
Pratt Institute
Authors
Muzhi Wang
Lucius Hu
Country
United States
+72 points Buildner University Rankings
  • 6/10 Linework
  • 7/10 Quality of drawings
  • 7/10 Balance of color
  • 7/10 Layout
  • 8/10 Hierarchy
  • 8/10 Annotation
  • 7/10 Text
  • 8/10 Clarity of story
  • 9/10 Clarity of diagrams
  • 7/10 Quality of overall presentation

Honorable Mentions

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Project name

Hospice: Home for the Terminally Ill - Bongawan, Malaysia

Authors
Thomas Edmond Crenian
Harith Bin Hashim
Natalie Ng
Country
United Kingdom
+72 points Buildner University Rankings
Project name

TAMTHANH - Hillside Water Garden

We view competitions as a valuable platform for enhancing teamwork, honing our skills, and challenging our preconceptions of design. By fostering dialogue and maintaining a continuous exchange as we grow in our respective environments, we can build a strong foundation for future competitions and strengthen our long-term collaboration. Competitions also provide opportunities to share ideas and engage with current issues. We chose this particular competition for its social impact, as designing a hospice for the terminally ill aligns seamlessly with our social responsibility as architects.

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Authors
Quang Tuan Ta
Trần Hà Phú
Phuong Thao Pham
Country
Switzerland
Project name

A good place to die – united in care

Architecture competitions are a great opportunity to get to know new topics or new building typologies that you maybe have never used before. I think that every competition is a win for you - you always gain new knowledge and new ways of thinking!

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Project name

THE BRIDGE

Participating in architectural competitions not only allows us to grow but also helps us face a variety of challenges and explore design solutions in different contexts—whether social, environmental, or otherwise.

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University
Silesian University of Technology - Faculty of Architecture (Wydział Architektury Politechniki Śląskiej)
Authors
Wiktoria Katarzyna Słowińska
Wiktoria Klaudia Musiolik
Aleksandra Agnieszka Kowalczyk
Zuzanna Teresa Dzień
Country
Poland
+72 points Buildner University Rankings
Project name

Basque Country Hospice: Building Memories in Care

International ideas competitions and design competitions provide the best opportunities to design according to a brief and scope of work. From concept development and site selection or analysis (if already provided) to architectural design and its refinement, these challenges allow for remarkable outcomes where architecture is created with its users in mind. Participating in these competitions fosters critical thinking and adaptability, particularly when addressing sensitive projects like the Hospice, which is deeply meaningful to our team. By embracing diverse contexts, this process encourages thoughtful, inclusive, and responsive architectural practices that resonate with both place and purpose.

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Authors
Laura Petruso
Ersila Bushi
Edwin Zhou
Pier Matteo Perazzini
Country
United Kingdom
Project name

GROWING URBAN OASIS

Hospice care is an issue that every individual and family will eventually face. Having personal experience in caring for the elderly at home, I am deeply concerned about their later years. Ensuring their happiness can bring comfort to the entire family.

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Author
Yiqin Wang
Country
China

Shortlisted projects

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The Butterfly

Bryan Entong Ye
Canada

NIRVANA

Alan George Joseph

University of Nottingham

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
United Kingdom

GROWING URBAN OASIS

Yiqin Wang
China

THE SYLVAN TRAIL

Muzhi Wang
Lucius Hu
United States

Solace Care Centre

Maggie Hou
Giuliana Fonseca Velazquez
Nava Sadat Mahouri Monfared
Roksolana Korol

Toronto Metropolitan University - TMU

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Canada

The beginning of life was crying, but the end of life was laughter

Jaegeon Yu
South Korea

Peacefully chaos

Filip Varga
Michal Brincko
Henrieta Horváthová
Slovakia

Urban Sanctuary

Zifan Wang
Ruoyi Wei
United States

The old Man and the Sea

Jaewon Kim
Canada

THE BRIDGE

Wiktoria Katarzyna Słowińska
Wiktoria Klaudia Musiolik
Aleksandra Agnieszka Kowalczyk
Zuzanna Teresa Dzień

Silesian University of Technology - Faculty of Architecture (Wydział Architektury Politechniki Śląskiej)

+72 points Buildner University Rankings!
Poland

Bliss Hospice

Omar Lachgar

International University of Rabat, UIR – Université Internationale de Rabat

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Morocco

Deceleration at the end of life - Motion in a state of decline to immobility

Veronika Bauer
Austria

Herbal Medicine Hospice Center

Hongan Nan
Yake Wang

GSAPP, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
United States

Memory House

依宸 何
泓希 郭

Southwest Jiaotong University

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Hong Kong

As a part of nature

康太 菊池
大塚 達哉
風都 仲西
Japan

Fractal Reflections

Isabella Nieling
Benedict Fritz Schnitzler
Monireh Pilehvar
Pascal Johannes Vrijaldenhoven

BIM Agency - Blachwitz GbR

Germany

Le Bord du Lac

Rein Johannes Wagenaar
Luca Cecca

TU/e, Eindhoven University of Technology

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Netherlands

Kahanan

Farrel Adyuta Wiratama Kuspriyadi
Indonesia

Nature's Embrace

Lina Wang
United States

"Reconnecting with the land"

Alessio Babini
Italy

REFLECTIONS

Milena Zofia Pięta
Zuzanna Stanislawska
Sofia Dediulia
Poland

TAMTHANH - Hillside Water Garden

Quang Tuan Ta
Trần Hà Phú
Phuong Thao Pham
Switzerland

QUARRY GARDEN - OASIS OF HOPE

Samuel Andrejčák
Lukáš Bím

Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STU)

+172 points Buildner University Rankings!
Slovakia

Findling

Rebekka Waters
Florian Zeif

University of Applied Arts Vienna (Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien)

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Austria

The Steward Center

Ntchwaidumela H Thomas
United States

Crossing Paths

Cici Xi Huang
Tsz Lok Kyle Wong
Tiffany Cin-See Chui
Edward Lincoln Sotingco Uy

Toronto Metropolitan University - TMU

+72 points Buildner University Rankings!
Canada

Journey along the greens

Praiya Sathanasaowaphak
Krittapart Povijit
Thailand

Casa Raíz

Maria Paula Otero Torres
Juan Diego Perez Diez
Colombia

When the Acorn Falls

Sammi Tin Wai Ku
Woo Soup Lee
Canada

Recover with nature

Jeongho Kim
Yeongjun Shim
Chanil Park
South Korea

A LAST HOME

Christine Oetken

Bauhaus Universität Weimar

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
Germany

Transition to Gentle Light

Tim Hornung
Marco Van Bentum
Germany

The Rural Dream

Jiayue Guo

Southeast University, China

+22 points Buildner University Rankings!
China

Flexible Hospice

Sophia Amelie Franziska Leopold
Austria

The Gift of Time - A Place of Peace and Dignity

Julia Pytko
Maciej Paweł Oberzig
Daniel Piotr Chiłła

Warsaw University of Technology , Politechnika Warszawska

+92 points Buildner University Rankings!
Poland

A good place to die – united in care

Celine Kohlhaas

FH Münster Fachbereich Architektur, MSA Muenster School of Architecture

+72 points Buildner University Rankings!
Germany

TRAVERSE

Yuen Yan Tsang
Hai Do
Australia

Basque Country Hospice: Building Memories in Care

Laura Petruso
Ersila Bushi
Edwin Zhou
Pier Matteo Perazzini
United Kingdom

Hospice: Home for the Terminally Ill - Bongawan, Malaysia

Thomas Edmond Crenian
Harith Bin Hashim
Natalie Ng
United Kingdom

The Bonded Path

Yixuan Liu
Miao Luo
United States