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Community Agora Enveloped in Wood for Diverse Cultural Interaction

Authors:
The quang Ngo, Hoang minh Tran, Ngoc anh Chu thi, Viet anh Pham
Community Agora Enveloped in Wood for Diverse Cultural Interaction

Project in-detail

Enveloped in wood and designed as a community agora, the project fosters cultural interaction and adaptability through its flexible living spaces and accessible urban integration.
5 key facts about this project
01
Wood serves as the primary material, promoting sustainability and reflecting Berlin's historical context.
02
The design integrates an urban envelope, enhancing connectivity between the interior and surrounding environment.
03
Flexibility allows residents to customize living units to reflect their identities and cultural backgrounds.
04
Community spaces include galleries and coworking areas, encouraging creative collaboration among residents.
05
An adaptable framework supports diverse functions and interactions within the communal living setting.

The design is located in Berlin, where it aims to integrate residential living with community spaces. The main idea focuses on creating an "agora," a lively area that supports cultural diversity and encourages personal expression. This approach fosters a sense of belonging among residents, allowing them to interact with one another in meaningful ways.

STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK

The project uses a foundational structure called "the skeleton." This framework provides the essential support for the building and serves as the main pathway for movement within the space. By being fixed in place, the skeleton allows flexibility for the layout of individual living areas. Residents can adjust their spaces according to their own preferences and needs, ensuring a responsive design that reflects the diversity of its users.



URBAN ENVELOPE

An important feature of the design is the urban envelope, which connects the building to its surroundings. This element opens up opportunities for interaction between residents and the public. It creates a flow between inside and outside, making communal areas easily accessible. The design includes spaces such as galleries and coworking areas to encourage creative collaboration and social interaction within the community.



MATERIAL SELECTION

Wood is the main material used in the construction. This choice highlights a focus on being environmentally friendly. Wood has a long history in Berlin, and its use adds to the warmth and texture of the living spaces. By incorporating wood, the design fosters a welcoming atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for the residents.



ADAPTABILITY AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION

Adaptability is a key aspect of the design, allowing residents to personalize their living units. This flexibility promotes a strong sense of ownership and community. By moving away from traditional classifications of housing, the design encourages a broader understanding of "general housing" that values the inhabitants and their connections to one another.



In this setting, each living unit allows for personal touches, making it more than just a place to live. It becomes a space where individuals can express their identities and contribute to a vibrant community.

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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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