Introduction
Buildner is excited to announce the results of Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2024, the inaugural competition in an exciting new annual series celebrating architectural design that has yet to be realized. With a generous 100,000 EUR prize fund, this competition provides a platform for architects and designers to showcase their most inspiring unbuilt projects, whether conceptual, published, unpublished, or fully developed.
Divided into three categories based on project scale—small, medium, and large—this year's Unbuilt Award ensures a level playing field where every vision, no matter its size, can shine. By honoring unbuilt ideas, we celebrate the purest form of creative exploration, unbounded by practical constraints. These designs push the boundaries of architectural thought, inspiring new approaches to form, function, sustainability, and innovation while serving as catalysts for advancing architectural discourse and future projects.
This year, Buildner was privileged to work with an outstanding international jury of renowned experts: Ece Calguner Ezran, Interiors Principal at SOM's New York studio, blends exterior and interior influences to create holistic spaces that enhance daily life; Doriana Fuksas, co-leader of Studio Fuksas, brings global expertise in designing innovative and sustainable projects like the Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and the New Rome Convention Centre; Christele Harrouk, Editor-in-Chief of ArchDaily, drives inclusive editorial direction, highlighting underrepresented areas and empowering women in architecture; Francine Houben, Founding Partner and Creative Director of Mecanoo, creates context-driven designs across scales, including iconic projects like the Library of Birmingham; Michael Meredith, Associate Dean at Princeton University and co-founder of MOS, combines academic leadership with award-winning architectural practice; and Lyndon Neri, co-founder of Neri&Hu, leads interdisciplinary design across Shanghai, Milan, and Paris while shaping architectural education globally.
The Unbuilt Award features a winner in each of the three categories—small, medium, and large scale—alongside five honorable mentions per category, a student winner, and a special prize for the best presentation. All winning and recognized projects will be featured in a beautifully curated printed book by Buildner Books, showcasing the exceptional creativity and innovation of this year’s participants. Join us as we celebrate the visionary ideas and groundbreaking designs that embody the limitless potential of unbuilt architecture. Let’s honor the work of those who continue to inspire, experiment, and shape the future of our built environment.
We sincerely thank our jury panel
for their time and expertise
Ben Van Berkel
Founder and Principle, UNStudio
Netherlands
Ece Calguner Erzan
Interiors Principal, SOM
USA
Francine Houben
Founding Partner, Mecanoo
Netherlands
Lyndon Neri
Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
China
Michael Meredith
Princeton University, MOS
USA
Doriana Fuksas
Studio Fuksas
Italy
Christele Harrouk
Editor in Chief, ArchDaily
Lebanon
Will Plowman
Partner at Foster + Partners
UAE
Enter the next competition edition
Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize
Small scale category winner
Loa's black line
20,000 €
I participate in competitions because they offer a unique platform to explore and expand the range of projects I can work on. These opportunities challenge me to think beyond my usual boundaries, pushing me to experiment with new ideas and approaches that I might not have considered in my everyday work. By participating, I am able to explore diverse design concepts, styles, and solutions, which enhances my creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
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Chile
Jury feedback summary
Loa’s Black Line is a spatial intervention along the Loa River, the longest in Chile, spanning 440 kilometers from the Andes to the Pacific Ocean. Set in the Atacama Desert, the project engages the immense isolation and contrast of the environment, creating a contemplative space within a natural ravine. A narrow, 70 cm-wide incision is cut into a cliff face, leading visitors 30 meters deep into a shadowed void. The space plays with light, sound, and scale, intensifying contrasts between the sunlit desert and the cold, dark interior. This spatial experience emphasizes isolation, amplifies silence, and explores human perception within vast landscapes.
LOA'S BLACK LINE is a thought-provoking and innovative creation that blurs the boundaries between art and architecture. Its sculptural form commands attention, inviting viewers to engage with its bold presence and explore its deeper meanings. The design seamlessly blends aesthetics with function, making it both a visual statement and a testament to creative ingenuity.
Will Plowman / Buildner guest jury
Partner at Foster + Partners, UAE
Enter an open architecture competition now
Medium scale category winner
Expo Osaka 2025 - Pavilion of Slovenia
20,000 €
Slovenia
Jury feedback summary
The Pavilion of Slovenia emphasizes sustainability, reflecting the country’s identity and environmental commitment. Designed with zero waste, low energy consumption, and minimal transport, the pavilion avoids prefabricated timber by utilizing a rented local scaffolding system, reducing carbon emissions by 87,600 kg CO₂. The structure features a universal ramp leading visitors through multifunctional spaces, an exhibition area, and a rooftop “Slovenian forest,” symbolizing Slovenia as the Green Heart of Europe. Prioritizing sustainable principles, the design integrates a zero-waste landscape, temporary tree nursery, and low-carbon materials, creating an immersive outdoor experience while promoting ecological responsibility and efficient resource use.
The light structure that supports the programme, creates transparency and visual connection between users. Walkable, the building invites users to discover the pavilion on differente levels. More then the destination, the pavillion acts as the start of the journey. -Francine Houben Aesthetically and technically beautiful. Great innovation, environmental, contextual approaches. Great communication.
Ece Calguner Erzan / Buildner guest jury
Interiors Principal, SOM, USA
Large scale category winner
Eden 2.0 - An Ecological Sanctuary Reimagined
20,000 €
United Kingdom
Jury feedback summary
Eden 2.0 is a 3.4-hectare ecological conservatory in Yeoul Park, Dongtan, South Korea. Designed as critical social infrastructure, it preserves ecological diversity while fostering human-nature interaction. Its East-West oriented, overlapping gabled roofs optimize light conditions, complementing the site's sloped terrain. Specialized glass pavilions house biodomes for rare and endangered plant species, supporting conservation and seed propagation. The controlled, adaptive environment ensures year-round usability, featuring pathways, observation areas, and seating. Eden 2.0 serves as a multi-functional space for leisure, education, and contemplation, addressing climate-driven social dislocation and enhancing community engagement within a resilient, human-botanical ecosystem.
The Ecological Sanctuary feels profoundly relevant, authentic, and respectful of its surroundings. It embodies an elegant design that fosters a sense of community, creating spaces that encourage meaningful social connections while harmonizing with nature. -Will Plowman Elegant, simple, would be a wonderful urban space. -Michael Meredith Aesthetically and technically beautiful. Good communication and innovative program.
Ece Calguner Erzan / Buildner guest jury
Interiors Principal, SOM, USA
Student award 2024
Straw for four
5,000 €
Architectural competitions provide an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge in new fields, such as building with straw, while also offering inspiration and valuable experience. They allow participants to explore a variety of design tasks aligned with their personal interests, beyond the scope of university projects. Additionally, they provide a chance to work independently and compete with participants from around the world.
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Germany
Jury feedback summary
The project addresses the critical shelter needs in the Kara Tepe refugee camp on Lesbos. Designed as a demountable structure, it uses low-cost, recyclable materials such as straw bales, wood, and natural fibers for insulation and protection. The modular design supports quick assembly with minimal tools and labor, creating a durable, insulated space that ensures comfort and safety. Each unit accommodates four people, featuring essential amenities like water supply, ventilation, and thermal insulation. This sustainable solution emphasizes low environmental impact, easy construction, and protection against weather, providing dignified, temporary living conditions for displaced families.
The best presentation award 2024
Tectonic, instrument of rethinking architectural heritage
10,000 €
I participate in architecture competitions where the juries often consist of architects I admire. Competitions hosted by Buildner are always incredible and inspire me to apply.
Read full interviewJury feedback summary
The project reinterprets a historic stone wall, transforming it into a contemporary architectural intervention. Located on a sloping site, the design integrates with the terrain while preserving the wall's cultural significance. A modular timber structure, aligned on a 3m grid, extends from the wall, creating elevated platforms and pathways that connect to entryways and surrounding trails. Spaces include exhibition zones, offices, and flexible work areas. The structure combines timber and stone, blending historical and modern materials. This tectonic approach balances preservation with innovation, establishing a dialogue between heritage, environment, and function while enhancing spatial experiences.
Well chosen subject of how the city coexists with its history. The attempt at new tectonics is commendable: by combining traditional construction materials and crafts in surprising ways, the resulting architectural effects seem to put ancient and modern sensibilities in dialogue, and question the notion of a stable ground plane. While the solution is flawed or need further clarification/working through, it adds a valuable contribution to the discourse of urban adaptive architecture.
Lyndon Neri / Buildner guest jury
Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, China
This project reimagines preservation with bold innovation, transforming Hanyangdoseong’s ruins into active architectural elements.
Christele Harrouk / Buildner guest jury
Editor in Chief, ArchDaily, Lebanon
Beautiful drawings and concept where the line between architectural tectonics and landscape blur.
Michael Meredith / Buildner guest jury
Princeton University, MOS, USA
The proposal seems interesting but it needs more context about the existing wall and the current remains. Renderings do not show the program, which does not probe it functionallity.
Ece Calguner Erzan / Buildner guest jury
Interiors Principal, SOM, USA
Honorable mentions
Seaside Pavilion
1,000 €
China
Jury feedback summary
The Seaside Pavilion is a dynamic structure located along a circular island route, serving as a gathering space for residents and tourists. Inspired by tidal rhythms, the pavilion features 140 adjustable blades made of an elastic fabric membrane, which open and close with the tide, creating a graceful, sequential motion resembling wings. The structure spans 33x10 meters and allows ventilation while reducing wind resistance. Powered by floating buoys, pulleys, and counterweights, the pavilion harmonizes with the natural surroundings, offering visitors an immersive experience of sunrise, sunset, and sea views. It blends engineering, art, and nature, transforming the landscape into a living, moving installation.
The insertion of such a light structure on a pier simulates a contrast with the location, the seaside. Usually, a location prompt to various weather conditions, from mild to stormy. Like the wings of a bird, the pavillion changes and adapts according to the winds adding motion. An ever changing structure.
Francine Houben / Buildner guest jury
Founding Partner, Mecanoo, Netherlands
The design of SEASIDE PAVILION effectively communicates a complex geometry with clarity and precision. It is highly sensitive to the surrounding context, seamlessly integrating with its environment while enhancing the area's identity. The approach creates a dynamic and engaging sense of place, offering both locals and visitors an inviting and memorable destination. This thoughtful balance between innovation and context will undoubtedly contribute to a vibrant and sustainable public space.
Will Plowman / Buildner guest jury
Partner at Foster + Partners, UAE
VELLUM - breeze stage pavilion
1,000 €
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, which fosters 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 sense of growth and development. Moreover, competitions provide an opportunity to inspire others and, in turn, increase our visibility and recognition within the architectural community and beyond. This exposure can significantly enhance our presence and reputation, amplifying our impact on the field. In essence, participating in architecture competitions resonates with our commitment to innovation, collaboration, social responsibility, and historical preservation. It empowers us to stretch the boundaries of our creativity, advance professionally, expand our professional network, gain acknowledgment, and contribute positively to our society.
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Romania
Jury feedback summary
The Vellum pavilion is a modular, adaptable structure designed to blend architecture and nature seamlessly. It features a dynamic curtain system suspended from a lightweight timber grid, creating flexible enclosures that respond to natural breezes while offering shade and shelter. The pavilion adapts to various terrains and configurations, utilizing sustainable materials like plywood and pre-fabricated components for ease of assembly and reuse. Seating modules double as storage or platforms, enhancing versatility. The pavilion's design encourages interaction, modularity, and environmental harmony, serving as a functional stage, gathering space, and symbol of sustainable, temporary architecture.
Aesthetically and technically beautiful. The proposal works with the different scales of flexibility, functionality and sustainability. Interesting structure detail that create the kits-of-parts.
Ece Calguner Erzan / Buildner guest jury
Interiors Principal, SOM, USA
Digging The Light
1,000 €
Italy
Jury feedback summary
The Digging the Light chapel is a contemplative space carved into the rugged landscape of Pessegueiro Island. Inspired by themes of meditation and minimalism, the design embeds a geometric volume into the terrain, featuring large vaulted openings that frame views of the sea and sky. Natural light enters through carefully positioned apertures, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. The structure integrates modular construction, combining modern precision with the raw, timeless texture of its surroundings. This intimate space invites visitors to pause, reflect, and connect with the landscape, offering a serene retreat that balances spirituality with architectural simplicity.
The new architecture elements are in dialogue with the pre-existence. As they sit on the natural rock formations, the new volumes create spaces of contemplation, framing the view. Light and shadow are cleaverly crafted into the deisgn.
Francine Houben / Buildner guest jury
Founding Partner, Mecanoo, Netherlands
Simple, clear, and beautifully illustrated. You can sense the weight of things in the images.
Michael Meredith / Buildner guest jury
Princeton University, MOS, USA
Digging the Light is minimal, and beautifully crafted—a joy to discover. Its presence exudes an air of mystery, transforming it into a place of intrigue and reflection. Nestled seamlessly between the rock, it embodies a perfect balance of prospect and refuge, inviting you to gaze out at the sea and lose yourself in its timeless beauty.
Will Plowman / Buildner guest jury
Partner at Foster + Partners, UAE
Frame
1,000 €
The main reason we choose to participate in competitions stems from the need for expression and artistic freedom, which is often limited in everyday work. The opportunity to select from a vast range of subjects, locations, and cultures stimulates our creativity while allowing us to explore and experiment with new tools and architectural concepts. It also offers a valuable opportunity for discussion, not only through exposure to the visions of other participants’ projects but also through the creation of debates and critical reflections within the working group, which are fundamental for both professional and personal growth. For us, the ability to fully interpret the project from a communicative perspective is equally important. Through images, we can engage in storytelling, break away from stylistic conventions, and explore more or less academic compositional languages.
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Germany
Jury feedback summary
The Frame project explores the relationship between people and their environment, creating a meditative space integrated with nature. Designed as an open, permeable structure, it establishes a direct dialogue with the landscape. The modular grid system generates flexible spaces where raised flooring panels can serve multiple purposes—creating seating, storage, or small tables. The lightweight timber construction blends seamlessly with its surroundings, minimizing environmental impact while enhancing visual connection. The building’s transparent facade allows light and air to flow through, fostering tranquility and contemplation. This design harmonizes form and function, offering a serene retreat that encourages connection with nature.
This project crafts a harmonious dialogue between architecture and its natural surroundings. It’s a serene and versatile design that fosters reflection, connection, and community.
Christele Harrouk / Buildner guest jury
Editor in Chief, ArchDaily, Lebanon
FRAMES volume and its harmonious relationship with nature make it truly stand out. It offers the perfect environment to relax, work out, and meditate, setting a new benchmark for wellness-focused projects.
Will Plowman / Buildner guest jury
Partner at Foster + Partners, UAE
Chapel of Resurrection in the wood
1,000 €
I personally believe that architectural competitions are a fundamental tool for stimulating creativity and showcasing one's design sensibility. They provide an excellent opportunity for engagement and experimentation, two central aspects of an architect's work.
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Italy
Jury feedback summary
The Chapel of Resurrection, located within the Sanctuary of La Verna, merges spirituality with the natural landscape of the Montepenna Forest. Built from local limestone blocks, the chapel echoes Franciscan simplicity, emphasizing themes of death, life, and resurrection. Its rectangular form features a single crack in the stone wall, guiding light toward a cross, symbolizing the transition from darkness to divine presence. The chapel's minimal design fosters meditation and introspection, with its openings allowing light, wind, and the surrounding forest to permeate the sacred space. The stone material and earth-focused palette reinforce harmony between architecture, creation, and spiritual contemplation.
