Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

Learn from past Buildner architecture competition participants through our extensive project library, curated over more than 15 years!

Cork Lined Cabin with Mirror Facades for Mindfulness Retreat

Authors:
Andrea Smaniotto, Barbara Sandri
Cork Lined Cabin with Mirror Facades for Mindfulness Retreat

Project in-detail

With its unique cork lining and reflective mirror facades, the cabins create a serene environment for meditation, enhancing the connection between interior spaces and the surrounding landscape.
5 key facts about this project
01
Cork lining enhances acoustic comfort and promotes natural insulation.
02
Mirror facades reflect the surrounding landscape, creating dynamic visual experiences.
03
Cabins are designed with equilateral triangles to symbolize balance and harmony.
04
Photovoltaic glass supports energy generation and sustainability.
05
Large windows frame views, integrating interior and exterior spaces.

The design is situated in a peaceful natural environment and aims to encourage mindfulness and reflection through the creation of small cabins. The overall concept highlights a strong connection between the structures and their surroundings. By using simple geometric forms, the design fosters a calming atmosphere that supports meditation. The incorporation of triangles and squares contributes to a clean aesthetic while addressing the human desire for serenity and a bond with nature.

Geometric Foundation

The cabins primarily use equilateral triangles as their main design element, representing harmony and balance. This geometry shapes the layout, with square faces forming stable structures. The chosen shapes create a distinct visual style that emphasizes simplicity. The arrangement allows occupants to feel immersed in their surroundings, enhancing the experience of being in nature.

Material Choices

Cork is selected for the interior lining of the cabins due to its natural durability and sound-absorbing qualities. As a renewable material, cork aligns with modern sustainable practices, contributing to a lower environmental impact. Its smooth texture adds comfort, enhancing the experience for users. The material choice reinforces the goal of blending the indoor space with the landscape, creating a more natural atmosphere.

Reflective Surfaces

Specific elements of the cabins incorporate mirror glass, which serves both functional and aesthetic roles. This choice allows the integration of energy-generating photovoltaic systems while also reflecting light and views of the landscape. The reflective surfaces help dissolve the divide between the cabins and their environment, creating a visual interplay that changes throughout the day with shifting light conditions.

Design Experience

Each cabin encourages meditation and self-reflection in a peaceful setting free from distractions. Large windows invite natural light and frame picturesque views, allowing the beauty of nature to enter the interiors. The careful design and choice of materials create a calming space that invites occupants to engage in thoughtful practices. The soft interplay of light, reflection, and the natural surroundings enhances each user’s connection to their environment.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

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

`
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

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Affordable Housing Series 19th Edition
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #4
MICROHOME
MICROHOME
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
To view this project in detail,
please log in with your
Architects’ Network Plus account.
Subscription instantly unlocks all the architecture projects plus other member-only benefits:
  • Access the 17,725 Concept Library
  • Professional tools including file transfer, email, portfolio management, and more
Register now
Already a member? Log in

This website uses cookies to improve user experience and gather usage statistics.

More information is available in our Privacy & Cookie policy