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Bamboo Canopy Over Shallow Waters Connecting Visitors With Flamingos

Authors:
Samar Maatouk, Zeina Maatouk, Mayssa Kasti
Bamboo Canopy Over Shallow Waters Connecting Visitors With Flamingos

Project in-detail

A curvilinear bamboo canopy gracefully shelters shallow water features, creating an immersive environment that facilitates close encounters with flamingos while promoting educational interactions.
5 key facts about this project
01
A bamboo canopy mimics the natural habitat of flamingos.
02
Pathways are designed for close-up interactions with wildlife.
03
Shallow water features reflect the environment of the birds.
04
Rainwater collection systems support ecological sustainability.
05
The structure emphasizes verticality with wooden elements.

The design is located in a curated landscape that immerses visitors in the world of flamingos. It focuses on creating an engaging educational experience, allowing people to understand the behavior and habitat of these birds from a unique angle. The layout is organized to promote gradual discovery, inviting guests to engage more fully with the wildlife around them.

Organic Interaction

The approach emphasizes interaction between visitors and the natural environment. Pathways weave through the landscape, resembling the habitat of flamingos. This thoughtful arrangement encourages people to explore the space, observing various ecological features that provide insight into the flamingo's world. As they move along, visitors can interact directly with water bodies and rich plant life, enhancing their awareness of the ecosystem.

Material Strategy

Materials play a significant role in the design. Bamboo serves as the main roofing material, creating a soft and curving structure that captures the feeling of nature. It allows natural light to enter, making the interior space bright and welcoming. Wooden elements are used to maintain height and contribute to the building's overall stability. The use of these materials helps emphasize the connection between the architecture and its surroundings.

Sustainability Features

Sustainability is a core element of the design, highlighted by the inclusion of ventilation tunnels. These tunnels gather rainwater to reuse, which helps reduce dependence on outside resources. They also support passive cooling within the space. This focus on ecological practices reflects an intention to promote awareness about environmental conservation among those who visit.

Aesthetic Composition

The overall form includes smooth, flowing lines that echo the movements of flamingos. This design choice fosters a connection between the constructed environment and the natural landscape. Light, space, and texture work together to create an experience that encourages visitors to appreciate the finer details of both the architecture and the wildlife it showcases.

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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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