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Cork Facades and Bay Windows in a Hillside Retreat

Author:
Giovanni Pivetta
Cork Facades and Bay Windows in a Hillside Retreat

Project in-detail

Utilizing cork facades and bay windows, the design creates a striking interaction with its hillside setting while providing modern villa accommodations that connect residents to the surrounding landscape.
5 key facts about this project
01
Cork facades enhance thermal performance while echoing regional masonry traditions.
02
Bay windows provide panoramic views and encourage natural light throughout the villas.
03
The design integrates with a berm structure that elevates the existing landscape.
04
Dedicated corridors facilitate privacy while connecting villas to communal spaces.
05
Interior layouts focus on warmth and comfort, featuring strategically placed fireplaces.

The design at Tili Vini is located in the scenic Italian countryside and aims to create a meaningful connection between modern buildings and their historical backdrop. The project thoughtfully integrates new villas alongside an existing barn, focusing on how vertical perspectives influence visitor experiences. By exploring the themes of addition and subtraction, it highlights the changes over time and fosters a dialogue between constructed spaces and the natural environment.

Site Integration

The ground plan is carefully elevated around the edges of the old barn, allowing new villas to fit beneath its existing structure. This approach enhances the overall landscape while providing higher viewpoints for users. The design fosters a relationship with the surrounding views, linking people to the site's rich history.

Reconfiguration of Existing Structures

The existing barn has been modified to reveal its internal structure. This change invites light and encourages connections between inside and outside spaces. A new building is added to the ground floor, maintaining the site's functionality while respecting its historical character.

Villa Design and Spatial Organization

The villas have a logical layout, featuring a bay window that adds visual interest to the design. This element breaks traditional patterns, enabling unique interactions with outdoor and indoor spaces. Corridors connect the villas, promoting privacy while ensuring easy access to shared areas.

Material Considerations

Materials chosen for the project include cork, laminated wood, and glass. Cork is sustainable and reminiscent of traditional stonework, making it a suitable choice for this context. Laminated wood and glass showcase modern architectural practices, contributing to the function and appearance of the buildings.

The layout includes a central fireplace that connects living areas with the outdoor terraces, enhancing comfort and encouraging engagement with both the architecture and the surrounding 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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Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
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