Buildner is proud to announce the results of the sixth edition of the Museum of Emotions international architecture competition.
This unique design challenge invites architects and designers to explore how space can communicate emotional states—without the use of any text. Participants were asked to design a two-gallery museum: one space to evoke positive emotions, and another to convey negative ones. As part of Buildner’s ongoing “silent competition” series, the architecture itself needed to be the sole medium of expression, pushing creatives to communicate through spatial form, materiality, light, and sequence.
This competition continues to challenge architects and designers to explore the spatial dimensions of emotion through a silent, two-gallery museum concept—one gallery evoking negative emotions, the other positive—without the use of text.
The jury, composed of globally recognized architects, academics, and artists—including Bartosz Haduch, Robert Hutchison, Jiafeng Li, Jürgen Mayer H., and others—carefully reviewed a diverse and evocative range of submissions. They awarded first prize to Natalie Battah (Sweden) for a museum that emerges from ruin into a reconstructed space of memory and renewal, using salvaged fragments and layered architectural gestures. Second prize was awarded to Rongxin Tang and Yuwei Wu (USA), whose lakeside cave museum contrasted enclosure and openness through light and natural reflection. Third prize went to Weihao Yin (Spain), who proposed a meditative, linear journey through concrete and vegetation. The Student Award was presented to Alexandra Ilinca Domnescu, Daria-Alexandra Pirvu, Alexandra-Mihaela Udrişte, and Stefania-Sorana Gurau from Romania’s Ion Mincu University, for a sensory experience shaped by light, color, and atmospheric transitions.
Buildner and its jurors extend their sincere thanks to all participants for their thoughtful and compelling submissions, and congratulate the selected winners for their exceptional work. The 7th edition of the competition is currently open for submissions. Visit the link here to register today.
1st Place
Not Forgotten. Reassembled.
Natalie Battah
Sweden
“We participate in architecture competitions to exercise our creativity and express our freedom. After graduation, entering a firm often means conforming to established practices, making it harder to think outside the box. Competitions, on the other hand, allow us to experiment, take risks, and question conventional approaches. Beyond personal growth, these challenges connect us to the international architecture community, fostering discussions on pressing global issues and becoming a tool for dialogue and reflection.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
The project presents a memorial using sand and metal to depict a post-apocalyptic vision of what appears to be Rome reduced to an archaeological remnant. The design evokes the destruction and preservation paradox, allowing viewers to observe the site from above or navigate its fractured streets leading to a central void. A ghostly wireframe reconstruction of a vanished temple stands as the focal point, symbolizing loss and memory.
2nd Place
Refracted Expression
Rongxin Tang, Yuwei Wu
China
“We join architecture competitions to challenge ourselves, explore innovation, and push design boundaries. Architecture competitions offer creative freedom to experiment beyond constraints. The Last Nuclear Bomb Memorial especially allows us to communicate ideas purely through imagery, where representation and concept take precedence over text explanation, making the visual narrative and the concept important.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
The project envisions a memorial for the last nuclear bomb through a landscape intervention that transforms destruction into renewal. A circular water installation generates mist, evoking the image of an explosion while simultaneously creating rainbows, symbolizing hope. The design’s ephemeral quality enhances its poetic impact, making it a striking presence on the horizon. The intervention integrates with the natural environment, fostering an evolving atmospheric experience.
3rd Place
The Emotive Odyssey
Weihao Yin
Spain
“This is the first architectural competition I have participated in! I was interested by the key feature that you cannot submit text with your project for this competition. I am particularly interested in art and architecture involving earthwork installations, and this seemed right up my alley.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
This project envisions a memorial set within a cratered landscape. A striking linear structure cuts through the void, acting as both a bridge and a viewing platform, inviting visitors to experience the vastness of destruction. The interplay of light and shadow within the perforated walls creates dynamic spatial effects, offering different perspectives from above and within. The scale and placement evoke a sense of isolation and reflection.
Buildner Student Award
[1000,10000] Kelvin
Alexandra Ilinca Domnescu, Daria-Alexandra Pirvu, Alexandra-Mihaela Udrişte, Stefania-Sorana Gurau
Romania
“This is the first architectural competition I have participated in! I was interested by the key feature that you cannot submit text with your project for this competition. I am particularly interested in art and architecture involving earthwork installations, and this seemed right up my alley.”
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JURY FEEDBACK summary
This project envisions a memorial set within a cratered landscape. A striking linear structure cuts through the void, acting as both a bridge and a viewing platform, inviting visitors to experience the vastness of destruction. The interplay of light and shadow within the perforated walls creates dynamic spatial effects, offering different perspectives from above and within. The scale and placement evoke a sense of isolation and reflection.
HONORABLE MENTION
Price of Harvest
Jacque Cheong Park-Gen, Lua Ying Yuan, Chun Yi Ong, Lee Jian Cheng
Malaysia
HONORABLE MENTION
Inseparable
Jun Hanajiri, Takashi Miyase
Belgium
“In architectural competitions, we are challenged to explore themes that we do not typically consider in our daily work. This presents a valuable opportunity to reflect on societal movements and the role of architecture, adding depth to our usual design proposals.”
HONORABLE MENTION
In the end, I’m in despair again
Jinwoo Pyun, Jihun Shin
South Korea
“This competition stood out to us because of its unique challenge. From the start, we had a clear vision: creating a paradoxical experience that combines inflatable architecture with a bold, radiant presence—both inviting and confrontational. The technical complexity made it even more exciting, as it required us to rethink conventional modeling methods. More than anything, we saw this as an opportunity to experiment, take risks, and contribute something fresh to the architectural dialogue.”
HONORABLE MENTION
Reflections of Scale – The Architecture of Opposite Emotions
Quyết Tiến Ngô
Vietnam
“Through this competition, I sought to express this duality architecturally, ensuring that visitors experience space in a way that evokes memory, reflection, and hope. Architecture can serve as a bridge between the past and the present. Through this competition, I wanted to go beyond simply remembering past tragedies and instead encourage reflection on the kind of future we should build. In this sense, I believed that the Nuclear Bomb Memorial should not be just a space for mourning but one that carries a message for the future—an idea that became the foundation of my design proposal.”
HONORABLE MENTION
PROTECTION
Sung Jin Lee, Woosop Yi, Jisun Woo
South Korea
“We participate in architecture competitions because we are eager to explore the opportunities available to us outside of Vietnam. These competitions provide a platform to showcase our skills and creativity on a global stage, helping us understand where we stand in the international architectural community. Additionally, with a bit of free time on our hands, we see these competitions as a productive way to challenge ourselves, gain new experiences, and grow professionally.”
HONORABLE MENTION
The Circle of Life
Aleksandra Zofia Forystek, Matjan Mataj
United States
“We saw this competition as an opportunity to collaborate on a project outside of a university or work context. It allowed us to explore ideas freely and develop our skills beyond the constraints of formal education and professional practice. Competitions provide a space for experimentation, learning, and self-improvement while challenging us to think critically and push our creative boundaries.”
SHORTLISTED PROJECTS
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