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Living Well: a Residential Model for Active Ageing

Author:
Kristina Klimova
Living Well: a Residential Model for Active Ageing

Project in-detail

This residential complex is designed to enhance active ageing to support its elderly residents. It prioritizes autonomy and community engagement, offering a unique blend of individual living spaces and communal areas.
5 key facts about this project
01
Central courtyard integrates therapeutic gardens designed for sensory engagement.
02
Modular building layout facilitates intergenerational socialization among residents.
03
Access pathways are specifically engineered for mobility-challenged individuals.
04
Reinforced concrete structure enhances durability in a seismic-prone region.
05
Natural light is maximized through large glass elements in communal areas.

Covering 2,300 square meters, the development applies inclusive design strategies to support autonomy, social engagement, and well-being in a residential setting for elderly care. A series of interconnected buildings is arranged around a central courtyard that functions as the heart of the complex, providing space for shared activities and fostering a sense of community.

Programmatic Layout and Accessibility

Communal facilities include a dining hall, therapy garden, library, and dedicated rooms for arts and music therapy. The outdoor therapeutic garden features native planting, walking paths, and shaded seating areas that encourage physical activity and sensory stimulation. Accessibility is integrated throughout the site, with level surfaces, wide circulation routes, and ramps designed to accommodate residents with diverse mobility needs. The layout of shared spaces supports both informal interaction and structured group activities.

Material Strategy and Climatic Response

The architectural language draws from traditional Portuguese forms, using modular volumes and pitched roofs to create a familiar, approachable scale. Construction materials include reinforced concrete, brick, ceramic tile, and large glass panels. Bricks provide visual continuity and long-term durability, while ceramic tiles contribute to thermal insulation appropriate for the regional climate. Generous glazing allows for daylighting and visual connection to the landscape, reinforcing the project’s focus on comfort and well-being.

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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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Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
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