Results: The Home of Shadows #3
Buildner is proud to announce the results of the third annual Home of Shadows international architecture ideas competition, a challenge that explores how light and shadow—both in their literal and metaphorical forms—can shape and inspire architectural design. Participants were tasked with designing a fully functional home that relied solely on natural light, eliminating all artificial illumination. Free to choose any location or form, architects and designers were invited to consider how natural lighting can serve as both a practical and emotional driver in shaping domestic spaces.
This year’s competition drew submissions from across the globe, each offering imaginative interpretations of how homes can be brought to life through the interplay of light and shadow. The jury—composed of distinguished professionals including Studio Bark’s Sarah Broadstock, Trahan Architects’ Sandra Baggerman, architectural copywriter Nikita Morell, educator Blake T. Smith, and Sher Maker founders Patcharada Inplang and Thongchai Chansamak—sought out projects that not only embraced the challenge but also elevated natural light into a language of architecture. The winning designs skillfully demonstrated how space, time, and atmosphere can be shaped by thoughtful design decisions, emphasizing the poetic and functional qualities of sunlight and shadow.
An international jury panel with diverse expertise evaluated the submissions. The panel included Sarah Broadstock, an architect at London-based Studio Bark; Sandra Baggerman from the New York office of Trahan Architects, known for her work on cultural and public projects; Nikita Morell, a specialized copywriter for architects and founder of Architects WordShop; architectural designer and educator Blake T. Smith; and founders Patcharada Inplang and Thongchai Chansamak of Chiangmai, Thailand-based Sher Maker.
The 1st Prize and Student Award went to Vessel of Light by Yujie Weng and Jiangyiwen Zhang from New Zealand. Set into the slope beside Lake Tekapo, the design features a curved roof that follows the sun’s path and internal courtyards that fill the subterranean home with light. The 2nd Prize was awarded to Qianzhi Shao from China for Aperture, a circular residence with rotating walls that rhythmically control light and privacy. The 3rd Prize was claimed by Anna Agnieszka Jaruga-Rozdolska from Poland, while the Sustainability Award went to Emily Mei Ta and Adrian Kevin Wong from the United States for Dappled Sun House, a Malaysian retreat that fuses local materials, passive ventilation, and light-sensitive design to blur the line between indoors and out.
Buildner congratulates all the winners and participants for their thoughtful and inspiring contributions.
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1st Place + Buildner Student Award
Vessel Of Light
Yujie Weng, Jiangyiwen Zhang
New Zealand
“The competition provides us with an opportunity to explore and challenge various topics, pushing us beyond our comfort zones to try different types, thus fostering a continuous learning process. In competitions, we are often faced with numerous requirements and constraints, similar to those encountered in future architectural practice. However, they are also more theoretical, which stimulates our imagination and creativity. This is particularly meaningful for us as students.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
Vessel of Light is a residence set into a slope beside Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. The structure is defined by a curved roof that mirrors the sun’s path and multiple internal courtyards that introduce light into the subterranean volume. Skylights and apertures are calibrated to the daily cycle of light and the functional needs of each space. The interior sequence follows the movement of sunlight, creating changing atmospheres throughout the day.
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2nd Place
Aperture
Qianzhi Shao
China
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
Aperture is a circular residence designed around a central courtyard that governs light and spatial flow. Located on an open landscape, the structure integrates rotating door-walls that regulate both movement and illumination. These 360-degree doors define private zones when closed, and interconnect rooms through shadows when open. The design reflects the cyclical nature of light, with illumination shifting in sync with celestial and terrestrial rhythms.
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3rd Place
Łódź, Wschodnia 13
Anna Agnieszka Jaruga-Rozdolska
Poland
“I participate in competitions because I believe there is no progress without discomfort. Being judged is never pleasant, but it is essential for continuous growth.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
The Home of Light explores the relationship between sunlight and spatial experience through a composition of contrasting volumes. The upper level is bathed in direct light, while the lower level, known as the Home of Shadows, remains recessed and introspective. The design is organized to capture the sun’s movement, employing devices such as angled windows, thick walls, and voids to modulate brightness and cast shifting shadows.
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Buildner Sustainability Award
Dappled Sun House
Emily Mei Ta, Adrian Kevin Wong
United States
“We participate in architecture competitions to imagine spaces that we would enjoy being in. We hope that by doing these competitions, we can share those ideas with others.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
Dappled Sun House is situated in the tropical landscape of Malaysia. The structure is oriented along the east-west axis to align with the sun’s path, using filtered morning and evening light to define the character of each space. A layered roof system and open-air courtyards create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, while facilitating natural ventilation. Materials such as timber, rammed earth, and local stone regulate temperature and humidity.
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HONORABLE MENTION
AfterImage
Kevin Gao, Jinal Devkamal Gandhi
Australia
“We have participated in competitions as they provide an excellent platform to express our ideas and showcase what is possible in the field of architecture.”
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HONORABLE MENTION
Caverna
Jakub Jan Ciszewski
Poland
“From the very beginning, architectural competitions have represented, above all, an opportunity for growth and a chance to compete with some of the best designers – not only from my local area but from around the world. During my studies, I acquired the essential tools and design knowledge, but it was through architectural competitions that I was able to push far beyond any boundaries. Even though there were many times when I didn’t achieve the desired results, each experience taught me something new. I observed the mistakes I had made and grew with every project, becoming more mature and refined in my approach. For me, participating in competitions is an ongoing journey – one of self-discovery, exploration of creative visions, and the pursuit of unique, meaningful design.”
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HONORABLE MENTION
The Lighthouse
Maksymilian Stanislaw Stasica, Hanna Batyńska
Poland
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HONORABLE MENTION
L’Atelier des Flots (The Workshop of the Waves)
Fung Shum, Lee Namkyu, Elisa Suzanne Lemonnier
United Kingdom
“This is our first architecture competition as a team, and it felt like a natural extension of how we envision architecture—as a way to experience life through space. Beyond our academic projects, we were looking for new inspirations: unfamiliar sites, new briefs, and stories we hadn’t yet imagined. While working on this competition, we envisioned a life in a house built into a cliff, putting ourselves into the shoes into a fisherman, or as someone living with a writer. We were deeply immersed in a life led by natural lightwhere its presence shapes the rhythms, moods, and experiences of everyday living. We plan to continue participating in competitions that allow us to explore diverse ways of living and expand my perspective as a student of architecture.”
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HONORABLE MENTION
Frame
Lee Suk Jin, Go Sungmin, Bae Jongwoo
South Korea
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HONORABLE MENTION
Sinking House
Sungjo Park
South Korea
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SHORTLISTED PROJECTS
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