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Curved Wood Panels and Fabric Facade Enveloping a Urban Meditation Space

Author:
Museong Kim
Curved Wood Panels and Fabric Facade Enveloping a Urban Meditation Space
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Curved wood panels and a fabric facade create a serene meditation cabin that offers a quiet retreat amid the bustling urban landscape, integrating seamlessly with surrounding street trees to foster moments of personal reflection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Curved wood panels create a fluid exterior that integrates with the natural surroundings.
02
A fabric facade facilitates light entry while ensuring privacy within the cabin.
03
The design is strategically positioned along the sidewalk for spontaneous public accessibility.
04
Existing street trees are incorporated to enhance the calming atmosphere of the meditation space.
05
The cabin's layout promotes seamless transitions between private reflection and public engagement.

The meditation cabin is located in an urban area where life is often fast-paced and noisy. It serves as a space for personal reflection, allowing individuals to step away from the constant distractions of daily life. The cabin is designed around existing street trees, which play a vital role in its overall concept. The aim is to create a quiet place for contemplation, enabling people to find a moment of peace amidst their busy surroundings.

Structural Design

The design features curved wood panels that form the main facade of the cabin. This material choice not only provides support but also helps the cabin blend into its environment. The curves of the panels soften the building's presence, allowing it to connect visually with the surrounding trees. This relationship between the structure and nature creates a welcoming atmosphere for users.

Facade Treatment

A secondary facade made from fabric adds an additional layer of function to the cabin. This material allows natural light to enter the space while ensuring that people inside can maintain their privacy. The interaction of light and shadows generated by this fabric lends the interior a unique quality that distinguishes it from typical urban spaces, inviting users to relax and unwind.

Accessibility and Engagement

Positioned along the sidewalk, the meditation cabin promotes engagement with those walking by. Its location encourages individuals to explore the space and take advantage of its calming environment. This access creates a smooth transition from the busy streets to a tranquil retreat, making it easy for people to step inside for a moment of peace.

Environmental Integration

The street trees surrounding the cabin enhance its ecological purpose. They not only improve the site’s visual appeal but also offer a buffer against the noise and activity of the city. By incorporating these natural elements, the design emphasizes the importance of nature in urban settings and reinforces the cabin's role as a place for quiet contemplation.

The combination of curved wood panels and the fabric facade creates a simple yet effective environment for mindfulness and reflection, allowing users to connect with both architecture and nature.

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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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    Selected winning projects have the potential to be constructed
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    Experimental competitions with the focus on pushing the boundaries of creativity
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Final registration deadline 18 September 2025

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