ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION
COMPETITION CONDITIONS
3 IGNITING ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATION Buildner Architecture Competition Organisers
7 PRIZES have prepared this document for
4 INTRODUCTION
the purpose of arranging the
8 CERTIFICATES
5 THE COMPETITION SITE The Home of Shadows / Edition #3
9 PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN architecture competition.
6 BUILDING PROGRAMME
Media
10 PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN The concept and planning for this competition
have been developed solely by
Interview & Movie
Buildner Architecture Competition Organisers.
11 COMPETITION SCHEDULE
12 REGISTRATION FEES © Buildner Architecture Competition Organisers
contact@buildner.com
12 DISCOUNTS FOR ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
architecturecompetitions.com
13 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
15 RECOMMENDED SUBMISSION CONTENT
15 PRESENTATION DELIVERABLES SET
16 PRELIMINARY PRESENTATION REVIEWS
17 JURY
18 MEDIA PARTNERS
18 ELIGIBILITY
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Buildner presents the third edition of the Home of
Shadows architecture competition. This event once
again highlights the crucial interplay between light and
shadow in creating functional and inviting living spaces.
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.
Shadow on decorative green plant leaf against white wall © cottonbro
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For the Home of Shadows Edition #3 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.
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© freestocks
For the Home of Shadows Edition #3 competition, participants are being asked to submit designs
for a house for a hypothetical couple. The property would need to include all the basic amenities of
a typical home such as a kitchen, bedroom, living room, and bathroom as well as a small courtyard.
Kitchen Bedroom Living room Bathroom Small courtyard
The BUILDING PROGRAMME is flexible, open to modifications and improved development strategies.
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Total prize fund
10,000 €
3 winning proposals, 2 special award recipients and 6 honorable mentions will be selected.
Buildner will award a total of 10,000 € in prize money to competition winners as follows:
1st Prize
5,000 € BUILDNER STUDENT AWARD
1,000 €
2nd Prize
2,500 € + 6 honorable mentions
BUILDNER SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
3rd Prize
500 €
1,000 €
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Buildner will acknowledge the outstanding performance of all
winners with Certificates of Achievement.
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Buildner's publicity campaign offers extensive exposure to the architectural
community, ensuring that the results of the competition are seen by a vast audience:
The results are published on buildner.com, a leading As part of the collaboration between Buildner and Buildner leverages an extensive network of media
website in the architecture industry, attracting over ArchDaily, the competition winners will be showcased industry leaders to publish the competition results.
one million unique visitors annually. Additionally, the on ArchDaily, a leading architecture news platform. This broadens the audience further, ensuring that
campaign extends to Buildner’s social networks, participants’ work is showcased across multiple
This feature will greatly boost the winners’ visibility to
which boast over 800,000 followers combined, and platforms known for their influence and reach in the
millions of architecture professionals and enthusiasts
through newsletter campaigns reaching over architecture and design sectors.
worldwide, increasing their chances for new
200,000 subscribers.
opportunities, attracting new clients, and establishing
their reputation in the industry.
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Interview & Movie
After participants submit their project, they Questionnaires and videos will be published for
have the opportunity to upload a questionnaire winners and honorable mentions with the competition
(in writing) and a video about themselves on results on Buildner’s website.
the Buildner project upload panel, up to five
days before the results announcement. The Videos will be published for all participants, including
specific submission deadline is indicated in the winners, on Buildner’s YouTube channel.
project upload panel.
These submissions are OPTIONAL but highly
recommended in case the project is selected
amongst the winners to maximize the publicity
and media attention their work will receive.
Read more about:
The interview – architecturecompetitions.com/interview
The video submission – architecturecompetitions.com/submit-movie
Explore the movies received from Buildner Architecture Competition winners and
honorable mentions here - youtube.com/@buildner
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Beam of light on a forest road © JOHN TOWNER
Preliminar y registration deadlines
Early Bird Registration
JULY 15 – SEPTEMBER 17 Closing date for registration
JANUARY 29, 2025
Advance Registration
SEPTEMBER 18 – NOVEMBER 21
Closing date for submission
Last Minute Registration MARCH 3, 2025 (11:59 p.m. LONDON TIME)
NOVEMBER 22 – JANUARY 29
It is still possible to participate in this competition after the preliminary Announcement of the winners
deadlines, however, a higher late registration fee will be charged. APRIL 15, 2025
Closing date for questions & answers
FEBRUARY 4, 2025
In order to guarantee equal opportunities to all
competition participants, no new questions will
be answered after this deadline!
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Buildner Architecture Competition Organisers would like to hear from
representatives of universities, schools, and colleges offering
architecture/design studies.
Please find registration fees listed at the
competition website Contact us to receive special student rates for group registration
architecturecompetitions.com/HomeofShadows3 (discount applies for 3+ registrations from one university/school), as
well as further information and support to get your students involved
in architecture competitions.
Send us a request from your university email address along with basic
information about you and your university/school. Please note that
only recognized university staff can apply for the reduced student rate.
Buildner Architecture University rankings
Explore the Buildner's list of the world's 1000+ most competitive
architecture universities –
architecturecompetitions.com/architecture-university-rankings
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• Participants are required to upload one (1) A2 • No video files are accepted.
landscape-orientated presentation board (must • All information provided in writing must be in English.
not exceed 10MB) with sketches, renderings, plans, • All submissions must be uploaded via the
sections, elevations, diagrams, and/or other architecturecompetitions.com upload panel. Access
presentation tools to explain their proposal. information and instructions on how to upload the
presentation board will be issued to participants via
email immediately after successful registration.
• Presentation boards must not indicate any
information related to individual's/team's identity.
1 panel Participants who do not comply with the requirements
will be disqualified without refund.
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Your project in the media
Participants are required to submit a cover image and a project description in the project upload
panel. These will be used for publication purposes and will not be seen by the jury. The image and
text need to be submitted in the project upload panel at the time of project upload.
Cover image Project description
Participants can choose and upload one In the project upload panel, participants will be • Approach and strategy:
project preview image from their asked to add their project description. Please Detail the approach and strategy you used to
presentation that best describes their project. note that this will not be seen by the jury but will tackle the project.
be used mainly for publication purposes. In the • Key features:
• The project preview image would need to be project description, please Highlight the key features and unique aspects of
at least 2000x1680 pixels large, orientated include the following: the design.
horizontally, no more than 10 MB in size, and • Project overview: • Materials and techniques:
in jpg/jpeg format. Provide a brief summary of the project. Mention the materials and techniques used in
• The project preview image will be used for • Assignment: the project.
promotional materials to showcase the project Explain the task or problem you were assigned • Challenges:
in case the project is selected as the winner. to solve. Discuss any challenges you faced and how you
• Objectives: overcame them.
• Please note: the competition jury will not see
Outline the main goals and objectives of the • Results:
the selected project preview image.
project. Share the outcomes and results of the project.
• Design Concept:
Describe the design concept and the inspiration
behind it.
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• Urban plan • Diagrams • A cityscape to illustrate how the proposal fits in with
• Street elevations • Circulation the quality, value, and significance of the historical
• Public versus private space and modern urban structure of the selected context.
• Primary sections
• Primary floor plans • Landscaping
• Concept designs which highlight that all aspects of
• Transportation
• Details the design are of the highest quality and in keeping
• Cityscapes/urban relationships
• Envelope with the design brief.
• Key materials
• Site or landscape • Demonstration of project feasibility in regard to
environment, climate conditions, lifecycle, and
• Axonometric's providing information on building
Please note the PRESENTATION DELIVERABLES SET responsible use of materials.
systems or illustrating key architectural concepts
listed above is a suggestion only. Participants can
• Perspectives • Proposed plan, section/s, and internal and external
choose to use the entire list, a selection from it, or
• Primary interior spaces perspectives demonstrating the spatial quality of the
propose a completely different set that would explain
• Primary site locations building, as well as operational needs, and
their design in the most efficient manner.
accessibility requirements.
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For more than ten years, Buildner has analyzed and Participants are welcome to submit their competition
rated thousands of architecture competition project presentation draft panel/s before submitting it/them
submissions. Trust us when we say — the quality of your as a final competition entry for a preliminary review.
presentation is vital to convince a jury team of your
design intent, and there are several graphic and Within 1–3 days, our team will analyze your
representational factors that can make it or break it. presentation panel/s and rate them on predefined
We can help you make it right! criteria points, as well as add valuable written feedback
on how you can improve your final competition
submission.
Buildner can review your presentation Find out more here –
and give you valuable feedback! architecturecompetitions.com/reviews
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The jury panel members list and biographies are Jury members shall under no circumstances be Buildner is committed to selecting the most qualified
published at contacted by competition participants or their industry professionals to comprise its jury panels. Jury
architecturecompetitions.com/HomeofShadows3 representatives. Participants who attempt to contact panels consist of architects, in addition to professionals
jury members shall be disqualified. from other professional backgrounds that are relevant
Participants are advised to research both the working All competition-related communications should be to the competition topic, to guarantee the most
site and previous similar case studies as part of the carried out solely with Buildner staff. objective competition results.
design process. For each competition, 6–9 jury panel For any questions, please contact us at
members are selected. Buildner reserves the right to contact@buildner.com You may find the invited jury list from previous
add/remove the jury panel members at any moment. competitions here –
The Home of Shadows Edition #3 is an ideas architecturecompetitions.com/guest-jury
competition, which encourages participants to test
or redefine the boundaries of architecture. The jury
may choose to reward projects that show a high
degree of creativity, even if they breach competition
guidelines, as long as this is justified.
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The competition is open to all. No professional A full list of media partners who have committed to
qualifications are required. Design proposals can be present the competition winners in their publications
developed individually or by teams (4 team members can be found at
maximum). architecturecompetitions.com/HomeofShadows3
People who have direct personal or professional For potential media partners who are also interested in
relationships with jury panel members or organisers covering the present competition and its winners, please
may not participate in this competition. contact us at contact@buildner.com
Competition press kit (in English) and banners are
available at
architecturecompetitions.com/HomeofShadows3/press
Full Competition Terms & Conditions: contact@buildner.com
architecturecompetitions.com/HomeofShadows3/terms © Buildner Architecture Competition Organisers architecturecompetitions.com
