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Core-Focused Design Embracing Nature with Sliding Doors and Flexible Workspaces

Authors:
Ioana otilia Popescu, Madalina Facaeru, Alexandra Moise, Carolina Zecheru
Core-Focused Design Embracing Nature with Sliding Doors and Flexible Workspaces

Project in-detail

A central core design allows natural light and vegetation to flow into the heart of the house, while sliding doors and dedicated workspaces provide flexibility, catering to the needs of two families living in a harmonious, communal setting.
5 key facts about this project
01
Central core design enhances natural light and connects indoor spaces with the environment.
02
Sliding doors create adaptable spaces for collaboration or privacy as needed.
03
Dedicated workshops for each family promote individual work while fostering community.
04
An inner courtyard serves as a communal area, integrating outdoor living with interior spaces.
05
The overall layout optimizes the relationship between the house, forest, and nearby lake.

The design features a small house meant for two families, placed in a setting that promotes communal living while ensuring practical functionality. The structure's geometric shape resembles a square, highlighting a central "core" that is central to its design. This core connects the home with the surrounding nature, allowing sunlight and greenery to enter the interior and enhancing the overall living experience.

Central Core Design

The core of the house acts as both a structural focus and a means of inviting the outdoors inside. By reflecting elements of nature, this central space creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. It serves as a way to bring a sense of calm into the home, reinforcing the idea that the interior and exterior are in harmony.

Living Spaces and Inner Courtyard

Living areas in the house include a shared kitchen and living room, encouraging family interaction. Adjacent to these common areas is an inner courtyard, which provides a quiet retreat for relaxation and socializing. The design of the courtyard connects the family to the outdoor environment, making it a pleasant place to gather and enjoy nature.

Workshops and Versatile Spaces

The layout incorporates dedicated workshops, with private workspaces allocated for each family, along with a shared workspace at the back of the house. This arrangement balances the need for individual privacy with spaces for collaboration, allowing flexibility in how each area is used. The thoughtful organization of these spaces caters to the various activities of family life while maintaining a sense of unity throughout the design.

Sliding Doors and Flexibility

Sliding doors feature prominently in the layout, offering flexibility in how spaces are utilized. These doors allow for the option to open up or close off areas as needed, adapting to different situations, whether for group activities or quiet individual tasks. This adaptability reflects a modern approach, where the design can respond to the daily rhythms of life.

Natural Integration

The design narrative also emphasizes the connection between the house and its natural surroundings, with elements that illustrate how the forest envelops the structure. This relationship goes beyond aesthetics; it creates a sense of protection and encourages a lifestyle that values the outdoors. Features such as ample windows and thoughtful landscaping enhance this connection, ensuring that the everyday life of the occupants is enriched by their environment.

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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

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competition now

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