This competition is part of a strategic partnership between Buildner and ArchDaily that aims to explore "The Contemporary Home".
Learn moreThe contemporary home
Introduction
The sauna has always been more than a room of heat. It is a place of stillness, where the body slows, the breath deepens, and the mind begins to loosen. Architecture has the power to enrich this ritual — to frame silence, to choreograph the movement between warmth and air, to turn a simple act of sweating into a profound experience of presence. But what else belongs in this rhythm? How might architecture extend the ritual of renewal beyond the sauna itself?
In Iceland, the answer is often found in light and growth. At Lake Mývatn — a volcanic landscape of steam vents, moss, and silence — the forces of fire and fragility are always entwined. Here, a greenhouse is not just a space for cultivation, but a chamber of recovery, illumination, and life. To step from heat into green, from stone into glass, is to prolong the ritual: to rest, to breathe, to encounter warmth in another form. It is this dialogue — between fire and light, stone and plant — that gives the Iceland Slow Sauna its unique brief.
The assignment calls for a modest retreat that unites a sauna and a greenhouse into a single structure, a small architecture that is at once intimate and expansive. The challenge is not to build larger, but to build with sensitivity — to explore how transitions between hot and cool, enclosed and open, dark and bright can become a journey of their own. This competition asks architects to think not in terms of objects, but of experiences, rituals, and atmospheres.
This vision comes from Óli and Bianca, the couple behind Slow Travel Mývatn, an initiative that invites guests to experience Iceland through authenticity, slowness, and direct connection with the land. They live and work in the Mývatn region, where they host travelers in their Þúfa – Private Homestay, a dwelling nestled among black lava fields overlooking the lake. The house reflects their way of living — quiet, personal, crafted from local materials, and open to the rhythms of nature.
With this competition, they extend that same philosophy outward, seeking proposals that mirror their values: architecture that is thoughtful, tactile, and attuned to both human presence and the Icelandic landscape. The Iceland Slow Sauna is conceived not simply as a building beside Þúfa, but as a continuation of its spirit — a designed ritual of renewal that moves between heat, light, and silence, grounding human experience in the volcanic calm of Mývatn.
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
- Site Video Walk-through & Photos
- Site Plan
Prizes
10,000 €
5,000 €
2,500 €
1,000 €
6 Honourable mentions & certificates
Buildner will acknowledge the outstanding performance of all winners and honourable mentions with Certificates of Achievement.
Publicity campaign
Buildner's publicity campaign offers extensive exposure to the architectural community, ensuring that the results of the competition are seen by a vast audience:
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 partnershipDesign assessment
As part of the competition results,
every participant receives a personalised design assessment
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.

Meet your jury
Currently, the jury panel for Iceland Slow Sauna Architecture Competition has not yet been published. However, you can see the jury panels from previous competitions at the following link: https://architecturecompetitions.com/guest-jury
Buildner is committed to selecting the most qualified industry professionals to comprise its jury panels. These panels consist of architects and professionals from other relevant fields to ensure the most objective competition results. All communication regarding the competition should only be carried out with Buildner staff. For any questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Key dates
Send reminders8 April 2026
13 April 2026
In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all competition participants.
No new questions will be answered after this deadline.
11 May 2026
7 July 2026
13 April 2026
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.