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Biodiversity-Focused Community Space Featuring Brick and Ceramic Accents

Author:
Thomas Honeyman
Biodiversity-Focused Community Space Featuring Brick and Ceramic Accents

Project in-detail

A solar canopy above the communal wine tasting building enhances energy efficiency while the use of reclaimed brick and ceramic tiles emphasizes sustainability in a series of guesthouses designed to foster community interaction.
5 key facts about this project
01
Guesthouses are oriented north to maximize natural light and views.
02
A solar canopy above the communal building enhances energy generation.
03
Reclaimed brick from demolished structures reduces environmental impact.
04
Landscaped gardens promote biodiversity within the site.
05
High-performance glazing optimizes energy efficiency throughout the year.

"CAPTURE" is situated in Spello, Province of Perugia, Italy. It includes a series of guesthouses and a communal wine tasting building that blend with the surrounding landscape. The design focuses on sustainability and community involvement. It reflects a philosophy connected to Tili Vini Winery, which prioritizes a respectful relationship with nature.

Architecture Concept
The project organizes five guesthouses to the north of a central communal building. This layout creates both privacy and opportunities for social interaction among guests. The design ensures that natural views remain visible, allowing the surroundings to play a role in the experience of the space.

Sustainable Practices
A key feature is the commitment to sustainability and independence. The buildings incorporate various energy systems for power generation, water collection, and food production. This setup reduces the need for outside resources. Additionally, the use of a solar structure above the communal wine tasting building enhances energy efficiency, supporting broader environmental goals.

Material Selection
Material choice in "CAPTURE" emphasizes reuse and local context. The design makes use of bricks salvaged from demolished buildings, high-performance glazing for energy savings, and solid timber framing. These selections focus on reducing carbon emissions while ensuring that the structures integrate well with the area’s architectural style.

Architectural Details
Visual appeal is enhanced by a blue color scheme of glazed and matte ceramic tiles. This design element not only adds beauty but also strengthens local character. Each detail works together to create spaces that are functional and pleasant, focusing on user experience alongside sustainability.

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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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