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Balconies and Community App Enhance Residential Living With Green Landscape and Ferroconcrete Elements

Authors:
Jue Wang, Qiaoqi Yin, Zizhen Zhou
Balconies and Community App Enhance Residential Living With Green Landscape and Ferroconcrete Elements

Project in-detail

With a focus on balcony access and a community app, this project combines white oak finishes and ferroconcrete construction within a green landscape framework to create affordable housing that fosters resident interaction.
5 key facts about this project
01
Balcony access integrated into every housing unit promotes outdoor interaction.
02
The community app enhances engagement and connection among residents.
03
51% green landscape ratio supports sustainability within the urban environment.
04
Unique housing configurations cater to diverse family structures and income levels.
05
Ferroconcrete construction provides durability while minimizing maintenance needs.

The design is located in San Francisco, a city grappling with high levels of housing demand and affordability issues. The initiative seeks to create affordable living spaces while also promoting community engagement among residents. The concept emphasizes the efficient use of space through various housing types and the integration of shared facilities that foster interaction and connectivity.

Housing Types and Layout

The project offers 11 different housing configurations, tailored to accommodate diverse family structures and income levels. Options include single-room units, single studios, and duplexes with two or three rooms. This range provides flexibility, ensuring that the needs of various residents are met, while also enhancing livability and comfort.

Sustainability and Community Amenities

Covering a total area of 17,130 square feet, the design supports 135 households, including 90 shared units. A notable feature is the 51% green landscape ratio, which highlights the importance of integrating natural spaces into the urban environment. Communal amenities, such as settling areas, laundry facilities, sports centers, and multi-purpose rooms, are strategically placed to foster social interactions and community ties among residents.

Light and Material Considerations

Light and ventilation are critical to the design. Each unit is oriented to maximize natural light and airflow, with balconies providing additional outdoor spaces. The project uses materials such as white oak for interior finishes and plastic and wood for the exterior. Fine aggregate ferroconcrete adds durability and enhances the building's appearance, supporting a sustainable approach to construction.

Technology and Digital Integration

Residents will benefit from a digital platform for community management. This system allows them to submit service requests, reserve shared facilities, and stay informed about community activities and announcements. By integrating technology into daily life, the design aims to strengthen community connections and encourage active participation among residents.

Natural light floods each unit through ample windows, improving the overall living experience while ensuring that energy efficiency is maintained.

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MICROHOME 10: Celebrating Small-Scale Living with €100,000 Prize Fund and Kingspan’s Innovation

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Competition organisers

The MICROHOME 10 competition invites participants to submit visionary designs for off-grid, modular microhomes that push the limits of sustainable, small-scale living. Organised by Buildner in partnership with Kingspan and Hapi Homes, this tenth edition sets the challenge of designing a dwelling for two people within a maximum floor area of 25 m², encouraging bold solutions adaptable to any urban or rural location. The competition continues Buildner’s mission to foster innovative approaches to compact, energy-efficient housing that can address pressing global challenges.

This year’s edition offers a generous total prize fund of €100,000, including the Kingspan Award for designs that integrate high-performance Kingspan products and the Hapi Homes Award for a project selected for real-world construction. In addition to cash prizes, the winners gain international exposure through Buildner’s media partnerships, publications, and a dedicated MICROHOME magazine, further amplifying their ideas to the wider architectural community.

Key dates for MICROHOME 10 include the closing date for registration on 25 September 2025, the submission deadline on 29 October 2025 (11:59 p.m. London time), and the announcement of winners on 9 December 2025. These milestones ensure participants have clear timelines to develop and present their concepts, with early registration discounts available to support students and emerging designers worldwide.

MICROHOME

Design a new small-scale home concept in the 10th edition of MICROHOME — 100,000 € prize + construction

100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 € + Potential realisation
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 25 September 2025

Enter an open architecture
competition now

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