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Cross-Laminated Timber Units for Flexible Family Living

Authors:
Srujana Bhoopanam, Chih ping Liu, Yueh hui Chen
Cross-Laminated Timber Units for Flexible Family Living

Project in-detail

Cross-laminated timber forms the backbone of a flexible residential unit designed to adapt to the changing needs of families while promoting sustainable living through innovative space organization and resource efficiency.
5 key facts about this project
01
Cross-laminated timber provides structural integrity while promoting sustainability.
02
Flexible interior layout allows for easy reconfiguration as family needs change.
03
Units can be combined in clusters to enhance community connection and resource sharing.
04
Energy-efficient features reduce overall water and energy consumption.
05
Adaptable design supports various family sizes and life stages seamlessly.

The "Versatile" architectural design project presents a thoughtful solution for modern residential living, addressing the needs of middle-class families. Located in an adaptable environment, the concept aims to provide a home that changes along with its inhabitants. With an area of approximately 90 square meters, it is designed for flexibility, allowing different family configurations through its innovative layout and features.

Flexible Spatial Organization

The layout of “Versatile” promotes adaptability, ensuring it meets various family needs. It supports different life stages, from couples to larger families, encouraging fluid transitions between spaces. Elements such as sliding partition doors and movable furniture incorporated into a rail system allow residents to modify their surroundings easily. This design creates a convenient living space without sacrificing coherence.

Sustainability Through Design

Sustainability is an important aspect of the design. Cross-laminated timber serves as the primary material, highlighting the commitment to environmentally friendly construction. This material is chosen for its durability while ensuring minimal impact on the environment. By prefabricating components, the assembly process is efficient and reduces waste on-site. Additionally, features like dual flush toilets and water-saving faucets contribute to minimizing resource consumption in daily use.

Community Orientation and Connectivity

The design encourages a sense of community by allowing for the combination of several units into groups of three or six. This arrangement optimizes land use and fosters social interaction among residents. Shared resources and communal spaces enhance the feeling of belonging, making it suitable for diverse urban settings. This aspect of the project ensures flexibility while adhering to various urban planning regulations and environmental contexts.

Navigating through the interiors reveals the careful blend of adaptable spaces and sustainable practices. Each area serves a specific function while remaining open to reconfiguration, reinforcing the essential idea of versatility. This design approach prioritizes both practical needs and environmental awareness, creating spaces that grow and change alongside their inhabitants.

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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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