Buildner has announced the results of its Hospice - Home for the Terminally Ill competition, the third in a series of architectural idea challenges focused on creating compassionate spaces for individuals facing terminal illnesses. This competition encouraged architects to move beyond traditional medical models, designing environments that prioritize comfort, dignity, and community.
Participants were tasked with envisioning a facility for up to 15 visitors and five staff members, incorporating essential spaces such as a library-equipped common area, gathering room, chapel, kitchen, dining area, nurse's station, and therapy room for psychological support. Designs were grounded in theoretical sites within participants' home countries, allowing for the integration of local cultural, social, and environmental contexts. The competition highlighted how innovative, thoughtful design can provide solace and strength during life's most difficult moments.
Jury
Buildner worked with an experienced international jury to review the received submissions:
- Alan Dunlop is an award-winning architect known for the Hazelwood School for dual sensory-impaired children and is a fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.
- Dr. Nirit Pilosof is an architect and researcher at Sheba Medical Centre, focusing on healthcare and technology, with faculty positions at Tel Aviv University and the University of Cambridge.
- Rubén García Rubio, co-founder of studioVRA, is an Assistant Professor at Tulane University with two Ph.D.s in architecture.
- Arturo Mc Clean has worked for companies such as Miralles Tagliabue EMBT, contributing to projects like the Kálida Sant Pau Centre for cancer patients.
- Rion Philbin, founder of No So Studio, emphasizes playful design, exemplified by the Casa-mac home for a blind woman.
- Susanne Siepl-Coates, a former faculty member at Kansas State University, has researched the link between architecture and human well-being.
- Sonsoles Vela Navarro, co-founder of studioVRA, has 15 years of architectural experience and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Tulane University.
- Steven Wright has worked at companies including Perkins Eastman, where he was a Principal specializing in healthcare design with degrees from the University of Virginia and Yale University.
Buildner's ongoing competitions include the 2025 Kingspan MICROHOME competition, which challenges participants to develop innovative concepts for compact housing and offers a prize fund of €100,000. Another highlight is the 2025 House of the Future competition, hosted in partnership with the Dubai government. With a €250,000 prize fund, it seeks sustainable residential designs that align with the UAE's vision for the future of urban living, with the added distinction that winning entries are intended for construction.
First Prize + Buildner Student Prize Winner
Project title: QUARRY GARDEN - OASIS OF HOPE
Authors: Samuel Andrejčák and Lukáš Bím, of Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STU), Slovakia
The design of this hospice is inspired by the surrounding landscape, with a focus on harmony between nature and architecture. The central square courtyard, symbolizing stability and balance, serves as a meeting point where the internal and external environments converge. Positioned to create vistas of the landscape from all angles, the building's layout comprises five blocks, each with a distinct function. The perforated square roof and atriums seamlessly connect the interior with the outdoors, enhancing tranquility. Situated in an abandoned quarry, the project repurposes the land to create a therapeutic space, where the unique topography and serene landscape promote healing and well-being, while honoring the site's historical significance.
Second Prize Winner
Project title: The Gift of Time - A Place of Peace and Dignity
Authors: Julia Pytko, Maciej Paweł Oberzig and Daniel Piotr Chiłła, of Warsaw University of Technology , Politechnika Warszawska, Poland
Located in the heart of Konstancin-Jeziorna, some 20 kilometers from Warsaw, The Gift of Time is designed to offer a sanctuary for contemplation and healing. Set amidst natural reserves and historic villas, and close to local hospitals, it complements the area's healthcare network with additional treatments, psychological care, and a strong sense of community. The project redefines palliative care by combining compassionate design with sustainability. Blending traditional and modern elements, it features large, open spaces for group activities, secluded areas for reflection, and inner courtyards surrounded by greenery. Built with locally sourced materials, including hempcrete for thermal efficiency, the hospice is barrier-free, ensuring accessibility for all, while nurturing both people and the environment.
Third Prize Winner
Project title: Crossing Paths
Authors: Cici Xi Huang, Tsz Lok Kyle Wong, Tiffany Cin-See Chui, and Edward Lincoln Sotingco Uy, of Toronto Metropolitan University - TMU, Canada
Crossing Paths is designed to foster meaningful connections between people and nature. Located near Lake Simcoe, Canada, the project draws inspiration from the area's vibrant, outdoor-friendly community. The hospice creates opportunities for interaction, countering the isolation often felt by the terminally ill. Central to the design is an organic veranda that forms alcoves for social encounters and connects public and private spaces, bringing nature into the building. Private rooms offer serene river views, while a communal greenhouse encourages gardening and strengthens bonds among residents, staff, and visitors. The use of CLT columns and ribbed beams seamlessly integrates the hospice into the forest, enhancing the relationship between the built environment and the natural landscape.
Sustainability Prize Winner
Project title: THE SYLVAN TRAIL
Authors: Muzhi Wang and Lucius Hu, Pratt Institute, USA
Each patient in the hospice is provided with a personal pod made from prefabricated mycelium modules, which offer excellent structural and thermal properties. Upon arrival, a tree is planted in the center of each pod, creating a living memorial that remains after the patient has passed, contributing to both nature and remembrance. The pods rest on an elevated wooden platform that serves as a corridor between functional areas, and when pods are relocated, the platform becomes a public walking path. Designed with modularity in mind, the pods can be moved easily while maintaining spatial harmony. This flexible design ensures the hospice adapts to each resident's journey, fostering a deep connection to nature and community.
Highlighted submissions
Project title: GROWING URBAN OASIS
Authors: Yiqin Wang, from China
In the crowded city, a vibrant urban oasis offers a sanctuary where greenery envelops the building, celebrating the seasons and promoting relaxation and well-being. A shared courtyard fosters connections among all ages, while private atriums provide tranquil retreats. Family-friendly spaces encourage gatherings, and a shared kitchen brings residents, staff, and families together through cooking, enriching social bonds. The modular wooden structure grows outward seamlessly, with open facades and vine-covered skylights that provide shade in summer and warmth in winter. This harmonious design integrates architecture and nature, creating a living sanctuary where urban life and the natural world thrive together.
Project title: The Farmer's Hospice
Authors: Santiago Andres Herrera Baez, from Colombia
Set in the peaceful town of Zipaquirá, 1.5 hours from Bogotá, The Farmer's Hospice is imagined as a sanctuary of care and connection, blending life, nature, and family. Rooted in the agricultural traditions of Bogotá's savannah, it is designed to offer patients and families the opportunity to engage in therapeutic farming, fostering purpose, solace, and a lasting sense of connection. Thoughtfully designed for accessibility, the hospice features wheelchair-friendly paths and accessible roof gardens for gardening without barriers. In this serene space, time slows, allowing for deep reflection and cherished moments.
Project title: H.O.P.E.
Authors: Hafsa Burt, from the USA
This project reimagines healthcare environments to prioritize well-being and healing, inspired by the author's personal observations of traditional hospitals' shortcomings. Harsh lighting, poor acoustics, limited accessibility, and sterile atmospheres often heighten stress for patients, caregivers, and staff. In contrast, moments of natural light or views of nature proved profoundly restorative. The design integrates natural materials, abundant daylight, calming environments, and enhanced mobility to foster connection and emotional renewal. By transforming hospitals into spaces that complement medical care with tranquility and dignity, the project aims to inspire hope and provide patients and families with a supportive, restorative setting during their most vulnerable moments.
Discover more about the Buildner competition here.
