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Charred Wooden Shingles and Transparent Glass Craft a Community-Centric Urban Café

Authors:
Juchen Zhang, Kei Takanami
Charred Wooden Shingles and Transparent Glass Craft a Community-Centric Urban Café

Project in-detail

Combining charred wooden shingles with expansive transparent glass, this urban café creates a seamless interaction between its interior and the surrounding environment while fostering community engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
Charred wooden shingles provide enhanced durability and a distinctive aesthetic.
02
Cross-laminated timber panels offer structural stability while minimizing environmental impact.
03
The bent A-frame design maximizes natural light and views from inside the café.
04
Modular construction allows for easy reconfiguration and seasonal adaptability of the space.
05
Transparent glass walls create a visual connection between the café and the surrounding urban environment.

**Overview**

Located in a vibrant urban environment, the Coffee Cube functions as a dual-purpose space for serving coffee and engaging with the public. The design employs transparency and a thoughtful spatial strategy to create a dialogue between its interior and the surrounding landscape. This approach not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also fosters community interaction, positioning the Coffee Cube as a significant contributor to the local culture.

**Spatial Strategy and User Engagement**

The design of the Coffee Cube prioritizes a modular layout that can adapt to various contexts and events. Key functional areas, including coffee preparation stations, storage, and merchandise displays, have been strategically arranged to optimize service efficiency while maintaining a clean and inviting atmosphere. The emphasis on visual flow is achieved through large expanses of glazing, which not only facilitates a physical connection with the street but also invites natural light into the space, enhancing the user experience and promoting a sense of openness.

**Material Selection and Sustainability**

Materiality plays a crucial role in defining the Coffee Cube's character. Locally-sourced wood is used extensively, highlighting a commitment to sustainability and aligning with Scandinavian design principles that prioritize warmth and organic aesthetics. Transparent glass elements enhance visibility and create continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces, inviting interaction with the urban setting. A robust concrete base provides structural integrity, while the potential inclusion of metal frames offers functional support without compromising the minimalist design ethos. This thoughtful selection of materials reinforces both the aesthetic and environmental objectives of the project.

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

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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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