Buildner, in collaboration with the Government of Dubai, has announced the winners of the 2024/25 House of the Future competition, marking the second successful edition of this innovative architectural challenge. The competition offered a total prize pool of €250,000 (1 million AED) and attracted submissions from architects and designers across 122 countries worldwide. The winning entries are now under review for potential inclusion in the UAE's national catalogue of housing designs, which provides citizens with pre-approved, innovative home models.
Following the success of its inaugural 2023 edition, this year's competition challenged participants to develop affordable, expandable, and forward-thinking prototype homes specifically tailored to meet the evolving needs of Emirati families. Organized in partnership with the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation and the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, the competition required each submission to address a standard 450-square-meter development plot while proposing model single-family homes for modern Emirati living.
The competition parameters emphasized adaptability to future expansion, integration of sustainable technologies, and responsiveness to the unique social and climatic conditions of the UAE. The international jury evaluated submissions based on a careful balance of visionary thinking and practical feasibility, with particular emphasis on compact planning, clear circulation patterns, and material choices suitable for local construction methods.
Passive cooling strategies, traditional wind towers, and integrated water features were specifically commended where they were technically feasible and meaningfully incorporated into the designs. The evaluation panel also placed high value on proposals that featured strong street-facing facades and cohesive community layouts while maintaining cost efficiency throughout the design process.
The distinguished jury panel included prominent figures from the international architecture community: Alison Brooks from Alison Brooks Architects in the UK, Ahmed Bukhash, founder of Archidentity in the UAE, Micael Calatrava from Calatrava Grace and Calatrava International in the UAE, Sumaya Dabbagh from Dabbagh Architects in the UAE, Andrew Mason, Director of Contracts at Calatrava International in the UAE, Will Plowman, Partner at Foster + Partners in the UAE, Bertrand Schippan, Partner at MVRDV in the Netherlands, and Charles Walker, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects in the UK.
The first prize winner, "House of Courts," was designed by Hamzeh Ahmad Hasan Al-Thweib and Luzia Magdalena Stallmann from Germany. Their design organizes a single-family home around a central circulation spine and three distinct courtyards, creating a thoughtful layout that balances privacy, natural ventilation, and access to outdoor spaces. The project reinterprets traditional elements such as wind catchers, mashrabiya screens, and thermal mass through contemporary architectural forms to effectively regulate temperature and natural light throughout the structure.
The second prize went to "MODULOR: A Prototype for Evolving Homes" by Marc Izaguerri Serrano from Germany. This innovative design proposes a modular housing system designed to grow and adapt over time, offering Emirati families flexible, low-carbon living solutions. Built from prefabricated components, the prototype integrates advanced rainwater reuse systems, photovoltaic energy generation, and passive cooling strategies to significantly reduce energy demand and enable off-grid operation capabilities.
The third prize winner, "FlexiCourts" by Lijiang Shen, Yaoyao Yuan of GN Architects from China, presents a courtyard-based housing prototype specifically designed for dense urban living in the UAE. The design successfully integrates regional spatial traditions with passive climate strategies, emphasizing spatial flexibility through modular room arrangements, dual circulation paths, and a carefully layered sequence of courtyards.
Among the highlighted submissions was "HAYAT – A House Rooted in History and Culture, Responsive to Climate, and Adaptable to the Future" by Meisam Dadfarmay, Sina Memarian, and Saba Abdolshahi from the United States. This proposal presents a modular housing system shaped by the environmental and cultural rhythms of the UAE, drawing inspiration from local crafts such as Al-Sadu weaving and Khoos palm fronds in its design approach.
Another notable entry, "Inbetween Spaces – Heritage Meets Sustainable Flexibility" by Bogdan-Constantin Neagu, Ioana Maria Bogza, and Serban Ioan Nicoară Stoenescu from Romania, combines traditional architectural principles with modern sustainability approaches. The design utilizes a sophisticated mix of curved and straight lines to shape intermediate, shaded zones that effectively mediate between interior and exterior spaces.
The competition also featured innovative concepts like "Power Haus – A Living Infrastructure for the Workforce of Tomorrow" by Celso II Beringuel Creer from the UAE, which proposes an adaptive, self-sustaining community model where housing and energy production converge to support essential urban workforce populations. Another standout submission, "SENSE – Dancing Wind in the Dune's Shadow" by Joanna Paulina Budner-Szuman and Damian Szuman from Poland, reinterprets the house of the future as a spiral-formed living system rooted in Emirati climate traditions and material culture.
Buildner continues to expand its portfolio of innovative architectural competitions with several other ongoing challenges. The Unbuilt Award 2025 celebrates visionary architectural designs that have yet to be realized, offering a €100,000 prize fund and remaining open to architects, designers, and students worldwide. The 10th edition of the Kingspan Microhome Competition invites designers to propose innovative, sustainable microhomes with a total prize fund of €100,000, while the third edition of the Kinderspace Competition challenges architects to reimagine early childhood learning environments that foster creativity, flexibility, and meaningful engagement with nature.
