Vale De Moses
Meditation Cabins

Competition introduction

Competition organisers

In Partnership With

The Vale de Moses Yoga Retreat in the stunning remote forests of central Portugal is listed as one of the best retreats in the world by NatGeo UK Traveller, Forbes Magazine, The Guardian and several yoga magazines. Every year the retreat welcomes over 500 people from 60+ countries around the world, all looking to take time to be with themselves in a natural wilderness environment - abundant space to breathe and feel. 


The Vale de Moses Yoga Retreat located in the heart of the Portugal;
The initial restoration of the Vale de Moses Yoga Retreat took five years, and used traditional construction methods to reinvigorate four abandoned stone farmhouse cottages. Much of the work was done by hand - without electricity or power tools - and now eight years on, the retreat is looking to build new facilities for their guests. 


The Vale de Moses Yoga Retreat founders Vonetta and Andrew;
The Vale De Moses Meditation Cabins competition is the first in a series of competitions based in Portugal and the first in partnership with Vale de Moses. For this competition, participants are being asked to create designs for a cabin that could be replicated in any number of spots throughout the retreat. 

The cabin’s main purpose is to allow guests to experience treatments and meditation sessions that allow them to reconnect with themselves, and to the surrounding forest, gardens and natural elements. Each cabin should provide sufficient space for one guest and one therapist; providing a world class healing space that connects each guest to the beauty of nature, while at the same time protecting them from its harsher elements. 


Participants are being asked to create designs for a cabin that could be replicated in any number of spots throughout the retreat

With winning designs being considered for construction - and Portugal’s reputation as one of the greenest countries in Europe - projects are expected to have the potential to become a regional example of green building practice, focusing on eco-friendly and cost-effective building techniques. 

Download full competition brief for more information!

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