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Cedar-Clad Retreat Featuring Elevated Design and Seamless Outdoor Integration

Author:
Zorbey Tuncer
Cedar-Clad Retreat Featuring Elevated Design and Seamless Outdoor Integration

Project in-detail

Elevated above the forest floor, a cedar-clad structure harmonizes with its natural surroundings, offering a flexible space for meditation and creative activities that fosters a connection to the environment.
5 key facts about this project
01
Cedar cladding incorporates local timber, enhancing integration with the natural environment.
02
The elevated design minimizes moisture exposure while allowing airflow underneath the structure.
03
Sliding doors create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor activity areas.
04
Large, strategically placed windows maximize natural light and views of the surrounding landscape.
05
Prefabricated wall panels improve construction efficiency and thermal performance.

The Wooden Den is an architectural design project situated in a natural clearing, strategically located amid a cluster of trees. The project draws inspiration from traditional rural structures, emphasizing a relationship with the surrounding environment. It serves primarily as a retreat space, intended for meditation, contemplation, and creative workshops. This design prioritizes the connection between the indoor and outdoor environments, facilitating a seamless interaction with nature while enabling various activities.

The structure reflects a commitment to simplicity and functionality. Its open-plan interior design allows flexibility for users to engage in different activities, ranging from meditative practices to artistic endeavors. Sliding doors enable the space to extend, further merging the indoor experience with the outdoor landscape. This adaptability is central to the project's purpose, which underscores both personal exploration and creative expression.

Use of Natural Materials
The Wooden Den employs a distinct material palette that aligns with its environmental context. The primary construction material is cedar wood, used for exterior cladding and interior flooring, promoting warmth and sustainability. The choice of cedar not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also serves functional purposes, such as natural resistance to decay and adverse weather conditions. Additionally, galvanized corrugated steel roofing provides durability, facilitating efficient rainwater drainage while maintaining a lightweight structure. Concrete posts are utilized for the foundation, offering stability while elevating the building to prevent moisture intrusion.

Design Integration with Environment
The architectural design integrates seamlessly with the environment. The project is oriented to optimize natural light penetration, enhancing the user experience throughout different times of the day. Large windows facilitate this influx of light, while overhangs provide necessary shading during peak sun exposure. By considering the site’s existing topography and vegetation, the design team preserved mature trees, contributing to the overall aesthetic and ecological balance of the landscape.

The Wooden Den’s unique design approaches emphasize sustainability and site-specific responsiveness. The elevated foundation allows for better drainage and airflow, reducing humidity-related issues. The use of prefabricated panels for wall construction not only improves efficiency during the assembly process but also enhances thermal performance through integrated insulation.

By offering a space that nurtures creativity and contemplation, The Wooden Den exemplifies an architectural response to contemporary needs for wellness and connection to nature. For a comprehensive understanding of the architectural designs, plans, and sections of this project, readers are encouraged to delve deeper into the project presentation. This exploration will provide insights into the foundational ideas and innovative approaches that distinguish The Wooden Den in the architectural landscape.

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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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