Buildner recently concluded its Iceland Ski Snow Cabin International Design Competition, inviting architects and designers to create a cozy, eco-friendly ski cabin that blends harmoniously with Iceland's stunning landscape. The competition aimed to develop practical, sustainable designs that offer a skier’s retreat, complete with essential amenities such as gear storage and a warm communal space. The challenge was set in the Mývatn region, a picturesque area in northern Iceland, renowned for its breathtaking natural wonders, including Lake Mývatn, the Skútustaðagígar craters, and the geothermal marvel of the Krafla caldera.
Participants were tasked with designing a ski cabin that reflects the essence of Icelandic winters and the mystique of the Mývatn region, combining modern design with Iceland's rich heritage. The cabin needed to offer essential facilities such as toilets, changing rooms, a self-serve refreshment station, and storage for skiing equipment. Additionally, it required a garage large enough to accommodate a snow groomer. The design was expected to be environmentally sensitive, resilient, and comfortable, seamlessly blending with the natural surroundings while enhancing the visitor experience.
Entrants were encouraged to consider cost-efficiency, sustainability, and the potential for future scalability, with the ideal budget set between 300,000 and 400,000 ISK (roughly 2,000 to 2,600 EUR) per square meter. The site, located near the Krafla crater and a popular ski slope, offered a flat landscape with existing electricity and cold water connections but no sewage system, prompting designers to propose innovative and sustainable solutions. The competition presented a unique opportunity to create a landmark that could become a symbol of Icelandic architecture, capturing the region's raw beauty and the spirit of the Northern Lights.
Buildner worked with an international jury panel to evaluate the entries:
- Francisco Garcia de Freitas of the Portuguese firm Atelier RUA - Arquitectos.
- Anne Cecilie Haug of the Oslo-based studio Snøhetta.
- Borghildur Indriðadóttir of the Icelandic office Teiknistofan Óðinstorgi.
- Hildur Ísdal of the Iceland-based Plusark.
- Euan Millar of the UK-based Icosis Architects.
- Tom Schroeder of Patkau Architects in Vancouver.
- Sigrún Sumarliðadóttir of Studio Bua in London.
Award-Winning Projects
First Prize Winner
Project Title: Cold Cover
Authors: Lucas Nieswandt, Germany
The Cold Cover ski hut is designed as a year-round refuge for skiers and hikers, providing safety and comfort in any weather. Its standout feature is a flexible facade that adapts to changing conditions: it can be closed during storms to keep the interior warm and safe or opened in mild weather to allow fresh air and showcase the stunning mountain views.
The hut's brightly colored sheet metal roof enhances visibility during snowstorms, ensuring the structure remains easy to spot—much like how fishermen once painted their homes to navigate in foggy conditions. Inside, the hut features cleverly integrated functions within pitched roofs, creating an open, inviting atmosphere that preserves the mountain views. Warm wood tones, cozy furniture, and a central fireplace make the interior welcoming. The hut also incorporates sustainable features, such as rainwater collection and solar panels, to heat the space and generate electricity. Combining functionality with design, this ski hut serves as a perfect retreat in Iceland’s wilderness, offering a safe haven amidst the northern lights.
Second Prize Winner
Project Title: The Rising Basalt
Authors: Artemis Samartzi, Marco Conte, Gianmarco Bambini, and Brit Cuypers, Finland
Inspired by Iceland's landscape, the design rises like a basalt formation from the snow, its dark facade contrasting with the white surroundings. The structure follows the natural slope, blending modern and traditional Icelandic architecture. Vertical openings and an exterior staircase lead to a viewing terrace, while functional elements like a snowmobile garage and an interactive info point are thoughtfully integrated. Materials such as wood and basalt echo traditional turf houses, with interior basalt slabs and a zenithal roof opening reflecting Iceland’s geological rifts. The roof, a visible beacon, shelters visitors as they ascend to the terrace, creating a profound connection with nature. The design embodies Iceland’s raw beauty, offering a safe, comfortable retreat amidst the snowy landscape.
Third Prize Winner
Project Title: Optical Earthform
Authors: Karen Wang Varholick and Joseph Varholick, United States
The Optical Earthform ski cabin is designed to blend with Iceland's landscape, serving as an iconic refuge that celebrates the country’s natural beauty. A tectonic cleave splits the earth form, creating a protected entryway and outdoor space. The dual mirrored surfaces offer an immersive visual spectacle, reflecting and extending the surrounding environment, and creating a space that feels both sheltered and open to nature.
Constructed using prefabricated steel culverts and earth-berming, the design mimics the sloping landscape and echoes traditional Icelandic turf houses. This method enhances structural efficiency and insulation. Sustainable systems further improve the cabin's resilience, allowing it to harmonize with Iceland’s dynamic environment while reducing dependence on external resources.
Sustainability Prize Winner
Project Title: Krafla Ski Snow Cabin
Authors: Roberta-Maria Vasnic of VOID STUDIOS ARCHITECTURE + RESEARCH, United Kingdom
The Krafla Ski Snow Cabin is designed to embody the region’s natural contrasts—rugged mountains, volcanic rock, and snow-covered peaks. The building’s tessellated form mimics these mountainous structures, with charred timber cladding reflecting the layered textures of the landscape. Inside, warm timber and glacier-inspired curved seating create a cozy retreat centered around a solid fuel fireplace. The cabin’s energy strategy emphasizes sustainability, utilizing geothermal heat and low-carbon materials. This design harmonizes with the environment, serving as a shelter that enhances the natural beauty of Iceland’s unique terrain.
Buildner Student Prize Winner
Project Title: NORDLYS
Authors: Daniel Alberto Caraveo Chavarria of UNAM - National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), Mexico
Nordlys is a ski cabin that reimagines the traditional ski retreat by merging rustic timber with modern glass elements. Set against Iceland's stunning landscape, the cabin is crafted from locally sourced wood, ensuring sustainability and harmony with its surroundings. The cabin's centerpiece is a glass cube, offering a cozy space to marvel at the Northern Lights.
Elevated 1.5 meters off the ground to prevent snow buildup, the cabin features hidden natural light sources behind wooden lattices. The structure, inspired by "The Inverted Truss," is made of laminated wood and anchored to a stone base, minimizing concrete use for environmental reasons. Inside, the cabin includes a ski room with heated flooring and a glass-walled relaxation area centered around a hanging fireplace, perfect for viewing the Northern Lights.
Highlighted Submissions
Project Title: The Five-Corner Snowflake
Authors: Jingyi Xu, Junfu Cui, Jiachen Wang, Baiyang Kong, United States
Perched at the base of a snow-capped peak, the ski cabin is a serene retreat—small yet significant, reminiscent of a snowflake landing on a white expanse. Its design transitions from solid to luminous, with a central core that drives its architecture, mirroring a snowflake’s delicate structure. Inside, filtered light from the outer shell guides users to a leisure area and a long hallway that serves as both a passage and a space for rest. The solid wooden core leads to a private area for changing into ski gear, complete with digital boards displaying current weather conditions to help plan your slopes adventure.
The design balances functional needs with efficient circulation by using the parking garage as a scale reference. Public and private spaces are arranged in a pentagonal shape with a square cutout, providing privacy within thick wooden walls while allowing natural light through a transparent wood shell. The traditional Icelandic wood log structure frames the central core, embodying Icelandic craftsmanship with a luminous wood veneer that enhances energy efficiency. The transparent wood curtain wall creates a warm, inviting atmosphere, blending nature with innovation. Guests and owners share the inner core, with separate entrances for each group. Common areas like the kitchen, dining, and living spaces are closely connected, while the outer leisure space fosters a communal yet relaxed setting.
Project Title: Movimiento Tectónico
Authors: Gary Steven Robson, JoaquÍn Cabanillas, Christian Naula, and Milca Amado, United Kingdom
The design proposal provides a base for outdoor activities while fostering a deep connection with nature. Located on a flat area of the topography, the project emphasizes sustainability and energy efficiency. It features a turf roof for insulation and carbon sequestration, a concrete structure using low-emission GGBS concrete, and hempcrete for additional insulation and aesthetic appeal. Timber is used in warm interior spaces, creating a welcoming atmosphere. Designed to Passivhaus standards, the cabin aims to achieve net-zero operational energy, utilizing geothermal energy for heating and electricity. This approach aligns with Iceland's sustainable construction goals, making the project an exemplar of innovation and environmental stewardship.
Project Title: SOAR
Authors: Yixuan Cai, United States
This project draws inspiration from the northern lights and traditional Icelandic turf houses. Designed as a warm, social retreat for skiers, its form reflects both the motion of snow sports and the enchanting auroras. The cabin is set one and a half meters below ground, blending seamlessly with its surroundings. It features turf and underground insulation and may utilize volcanic energy for its operations. Its simple, sculptural design embodies natural heritage.
Offering multiple levels of engagement with nature, the main entry ramp immerses visitors into the earth, while the north-facing viewing deck, accessible directly from the ground, evokes the experience of mountain climbing. The design creates a playful experience with various angles for viewing skiing, centered around a hearth that serves as a welcoming spot for breaks and gatherings.
Buildner's current open international competitions include the Unbuilt Award, which honors unrealized project proposals with a 100,000 EUR prize fund; the Norman Foster Foundation Kharkiv Housing Challenge, a joint initiative by the Kharkiv City Council and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to repair and improve living conditions in Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict; and Kinderspace: Architecture for Children's Development, an architectural challenge dedicated to crafting innovative educational spaces that enhance early childhood learning.