Museum of Emotions / Edition #7
Overview
The Museum of Emotions / Edition #7 is an annual international architecture competition organized by Buildner, inviting architects, students, and designers from around the world to explore the emotional impact of architecture. This unique competition challenges participants to create a museum composed of two contrasting exhibition halls—one evoking positive emotions and the other negative—demonstrating how spatial design can influence psychological experience. This is a silent competition, meaning participants must express all ideas through visuals only, without text or verbal explanation.
Why You Should Participate
This competition offers a rare opportunity for creatives to focus on architecture as an emotional medium. Participants can demonstrate their conceptual strength and visual communication skills by crafting a museum that reflects the psychological dualities of human emotion. It’s a chance to push boundaries, explore spatial storytelling, and gain international exposure through Buildner’s highly visible platform. Winners receive prize money, global recognition, and the opportunity to be part of a prestigious design legacy focused on architectural innovation and emotional design.
Key Highlights
- Design Challenge: Create a museum with two distinct halls inducing opposite emotions (e.g., fear vs. joy, sadness vs. laughter)
- Design Freedom: No restrictions on site, scale, location (real or imaginary)
- Medium: Visual-only submission – no text allowed
- Eligibility: Open to architects, students, designers, and studios globally
- Purpose: Use architecture to create emotional states via color, light, materials, and spatial flow
Entry Fees
| Registration Phase | Dates | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | May 20 – July 10, 2025 | €70 |
| Advance | July 11 – September 18, 2025 | €90 |
| Last Minute | September 19 – November 27, 2025 | €110 |
Participants must submit one entry form per category. Fees are applicable per entry.
Prizes and Recognition
| Award | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st Prize | €5,000 |
| 2nd Prize | €3,000 |
| 3rd Prize | €1,000 |
| Buildner Student Award | €1,000 |
| Honourable Mentions | 6 total (non-cash recognition) |
Winners will gain international visibility through Buildner’s media channels, publications, and exhibitions.
Submission Details
- Submission Format: Visual-only
- Languages/Text: Not permitted (silent competition)
- Site & Scale: Chosen by participant (fictional or real)
- Submission Method: Online via Buildner
- Visual Requirements: Use diagrams, renderings, and drawings to explain concept
Important Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Final Registration Deadline | November 27, 2025 |
| Submission Deadline | January 12, 2026 |
| Winners Announced | March 3, 2026 |
How to Join
- Choose your concept and contrasting emotional themes.
- Register on Buildner’s official competition platform.
- Develop and submit your design in visual format (no text).
- Upload your work before the final deadline.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
This competition presents an intriguing departure from text-based design narratives, emphasizing pure visual storytelling—a bold yet intellectually demanding format. While the freedom of site and emotion allows for creative exploration, the absence of written explanation may pose a challenge for nuanced concepts. The emphasis on dual emotional experiences provides a strong framework for examining spatial psychology. As Buildner continues to promote experimental architecture, this format may encourage deeper engagement with mood-based design ideologies.
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