The esteemed architecture competition organizer, Buildner, has recently unveiled the outcomes of its highly anticipated Howard Waterfall Retreat design challenge. This international contest invited architects and designers to conceptualize a multi-generational family sanctuary nestled within a private, sylvan landscape in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The core of the design brief centered on the dramatic presence of Howard Falls and its surrounding gorge, demanding proposals that fostered a profound dialogue between the architectural intervention and its natural environment.
Instead of imposing a singular aesthetic, the competition encouraged participants to explore how a retreat could seamlessly blend communal and private living spaces, adapt to the challenging steep topography and existing water systems, and integrate sustainably within a delicate ecological setting. A crucial aspect of the brief was the interpretation of the family's enduring legacy, prompting designers to acknowledge the historical significance of the site and its original summer cottage, while envisioning a retreat capable of adapting and thriving across successive generations.
The competition attracted a diverse array of submissions from design professionals globally, reflecting a broad spectrum of architectural approaches to site-specific design, historical memory, and domestic living. Many of the proposals meticulously explored innovative methods for framing the picturesque waterfall and dense forest, thoughtfully navigating changes in elevation and the constraints imposed by the floodplain, and employing material strategies that championed durability, environmental responsibility, and a subtle architectural presence that respected the existing landscape.
After a thorough and comprehensive evaluation by an expert jury, three exemplary projects were ultimately selected as winners, alongside several special award recipients and honorable mentions. The jury particularly commended projects that showcased exceptional clarity in their spatial organization, a deep sensitivity to the site's inherent natural systems, and a balanced, thoughtful approach to accommodating the needs of multi-generational living. Collectively, the recognized designs underscore how residential architecture can transcend its functional purpose, serving not merely as a place of refuge, but also as a profound, long-term testament to environmental stewardship, familial continuity, and a deep-seated reverence for place.
The First Prize Winner, "Strata House" by Mathieu Henri Pierre Nouhen from France, offers a compelling solution that skillfully preserves the historic upper portion of the original cottage. This design introduces a new lower-level volume, thoughtfully integrated into the terrain, creating a gradual descent from the point of arrival to the tranquil river's edge, culminating in a communal space enveloped by the landscape. The upper floor retains its private functions, while the garden level is dedicated to shared amenities such as a library, kitchen, and indoor garden. The architectural interventions are intentionally minimal and respectful, emphasizing a continuous connection with both the site's history and its natural features. Sustainability is a cornerstone of the design, addressed through rainwater harvesting, precisely controlled irrigation, and passive thermal strategies. The overall composition gracefully echoes the geological strata of the surrounding environment.
The Second Prize Winner, "Branch" by Aleksandra Zofia Forystek, Min Kyu Kim, and Zehua He from the United States, reimagines the original cottage's pitched roof form while introducing an expansive, horizontal addition that harmonizes with the site's topography and ecological richness. The new volumes extend outwards like tree branches, each meticulously oriented to frame captivating views of the river, waterfall, and forest, all while maintaining a respectful deference to the historic structure. A generous roof deck and an integrated green roof system cleverly function as an elevated landscape, seamlessly blending architecture with the terrain. The interior layout is clearly zoned, delineating communal, private, and service areas, and providing effortless indoor-outdoor connections across multiple levels. Structural lightness is achieved through an elevated foundation system, minimizing ground disturbance and lifting living spaces above the stream. The design incorporates material reuse, passive solar principles, thermal massing, and rainwater recycling, resulting in a low-impact, high-performance retreat. This architectural vision offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional cottage typology, weaving a compelling spatial narrative rooted in immersion and preservation.
The Third Prize Winner, "Triptyque" by Jamie Kevin Willmer and Maureen Armida Vivienne Soupe from the United Kingdom, honors the inherited cottage while expanding the program into three distinct wings, each thoughtfully reflecting the rhythms of daily life: morning, day, and evening. Anchored to the terrain and oriented towards the waterfall, the composition artfully navigates the landscape through low-slung forms that emphasize horizontality. Each wing is shaped by its specific site exposure: the Howard Wing pays homage to the original home's legacy; the Falls Wing opens to vibrant communal life near the water's edge; and the Evening Wing provides a serene retreat, offering stunning views and warmth around a fire garden. A shared garden axis elegantly connects these volumes with delicate landscaping, carefully curated vistas, and a strong ecological intention. The architecture, while restrained, is highly expressive, allowing the topography, geology, and ambient light to dictate the spatial sequence and overall atmosphere. Sustainable design strategies, including rainwater harvesting, green roofs, and solar energy, are subtly integrated, reinforcing the project's profound respect for its environment and enduring legacy.
The Buildner Sustainability Award was bestowed upon "Nature Within | Forest Around" by Weichen Wang, Mengyu Zhao, and Viktor Fomin from the United States. This project ingeniously preserves and repurposes the modest historic cottage by integrating it within a comprehensive architectural and ecological strategy. The design extends the existing structure horizontally, maintaining its symbolic prominence while introducing a new pavilion-like living room and a lower-level courtyard surrounded by bedrooms. This arrangement facilitates a natural progression of movement across the sloped site, transitioning from communal areas to private rooms, all while celebrating both the majestic waterfall and the enveloping forest. The integration of seasonal design principles, passive thermal cooling, and multiple exterior thresholds encourages year-round engagement with the natural landscape. Through a thoughtful balance of subtraction, considered addition, and formal integration, the project successfully respects the site's historical memory and topography without overwhelming it.
The Buildner Student Award was awarded to "Roll the Dice" by Matěj Čech and Filip Ježdík of Czech Technical University in Prague. Their design presents a contemporary reinterpretation of a forested family retreat, composed of three modular brick volumes carefully arranged around a central open-air courtyard. The project prioritizes internal spatial relationships over outward monumentality, utilizing a grid-based logic to organize living spaces, terraces, and private rooms into a fluid yet compartmentalized plan. Each volume serves a distinct purpose and is connected by transparent elements that frame deliberate views and preserve existing trees. The architecture is characterized by its minimalist and orthogonal nature, with subtle shifts in level responding to the sloped site. A rooftop garden and extensive green roof strategy further enhance the ecological narrative, while natural materials and warm interior finishes cultivate a welcoming domestic atmosphere.
The Howard Waterfall Retreat Competition, organized by Buildner in collaboration with the Howard Family Trust, called upon architects and designers to create a multi-generational family retreat in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The competition emphasized a delicate balance between innovative architectural solutions and a deep respect for the site's natural beauty, including the prominent Howard Falls and its gorge. The selected winning projects, alongside other highlighted submissions, showcase exemplary approaches to integrating design with challenging topography, water systems, and ecological considerations. These designs exemplify how modern residential architecture can serve as a powerful statement of environmental responsibility, intergenerational continuity, and a profound appreciation for place, demonstrating a harmonious coexistence between human habitation and the natural world.
