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Cross-Laminated Timber and Charred Shingles Elevate Sustainable Urban Living

Authors:
Shouzheng Qiu, Mengyuan Li, Wenjiang Zhang, YuanYuan Wu
Cross-Laminated Timber and Charred Shingles Elevate Sustainable Urban Living

Project in-detail

Crafted from cross-laminated timber and accented with charred shingles, the design redefines urban living through its modular flexibility and focus on sustainable community interaction.
5 key facts about this project
01
Crafted entirely from cross-laminated timber, enhancing structural efficiency.
02
Charred wooden shingles provide fire resistance and an aesthetic contrast.
03
Modular design allows for easy adaptability to resident needs.
04
Integrated green spaces promote biodiversity in the urban environment.
05
Emphasis on communal areas fosters social interaction among residents.

### Project Overview

Located in Milan, Italy, the development seeks to address urban living challenges while fostering a sense of community, promoting sustainable practices, and enhancing spatial flexibility. The design is tailored to accommodate a diverse demographic by integrating modularity and prefabrication into residential units, which allows for adaptability and personalization. This approach aims to provide efficient, eco-friendly living spaces that encourage community engagement while ensuring individual privacy.

### Spatial Configuration and Community Integration

The project incorporates a carefully considered site analysis that emphasizes connectivity, landscape integration, and public accessibility. A central green courtyard serves as a communal area, designed to facilitate social interaction among residents. The spatial layout promotes engagement while maintaining privacy, balancing communal living with personal tranquility. The configuration of housing types—including individual units, couple units, and extended family arrangements—contributes to adaptability, allowing the design to respond effectively to varying demographic needs.

### Material Innovation and Construction Methodology

Utilizing prefabricated modular elements enhances construction efficiency while minimizing waste, permitting faster on-site assembly and future modifications based on evolving resident requirements. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is employed as the primary structure, providing robustness and a lower environmental impact relative to traditional materials. Incorporation of 3D printed concrete profiles demonstrates an innovative approach to construction materials, while low-E double glazing is selected for windows to improve thermal efficiency and reduce energy consumption. This construction methodology reflects a modern practice aimed at addressing contemporary urban living challenges through efficient and sustainable design solutions.

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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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