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Cypress-Focused Rest Area With Reflective Water Mirror and Personal Niches

Author:
Anton Orlovic
Cypress-Focused Rest Area With Reflective Water Mirror and Personal Niches

Project in-detail

An inverted dome filled with greenery crowns a pathway of 512 personalized niches, complemented by a reflective water mirror and cypress tree, creating a serene environment for remembrance.
5 key facts about this project
01
The complex includes an inverted dome filled with greenery as a focal point.
02
Personalization options allow visitors to place mementos in 15 cm gaps between niches.
03
Abstract sculptures resembling angelic forms end each row of niches.
04
Water features include narrow canals that symbolize tears.
05
A circular water mirror surrounds a centrally planted cypress tree.

The design presents a small complex oriented on a northwest-southeast axis, set in a peaceful area that encourages reflection. Covering 351 square meters, the space serves as a place for remembrance with a layout that includes a total of 512 niches. The overall concept highlights order through symmetry, creating an environment that is both calming and personal for visitors.

Niche Arrangement

The complex includes 496 niches, with the option to add 16 more for better symmetry. These niches are arranged into four rows, each containing 31 columns with four niches per column. Each niche measures 45 by 45 centimeters, accommodating urns that are 18 by 27 centimeters in size. This thoughtful arrangement allows individuals to personalize each niche in a meaningful way.

Entrance and Pathways

Visitors enter through a prominent gate made up of six wall planes that are symmetrically placed. Above it is an inverted dome filled with greenery and flowers, making the entrance a welcoming focal point. After entering, pathways branch out, each 225 centimeters wide, guiding visitors past rows of niches and to benches positioned for quiet reflection. The lack of canopies sets the complex apart, creating a direct connection between the visitors and the space around them.

Sculptural and Water Features

At the end of each row of niches, abstract sculptures gracefully rise from the ground. These forms resemble angelic figures and are created from intersecting planes that look like flower petals or pages from a book. They add depth to the design and support the theme of remembrance. In addition, fountains are strategically placed at corners, providing peaceful spots for visitors. Narrow, shallow canals for stormwater drainage run alongside, symbolically representing the tears shed in moments of loss.

Rest Area Design

The complex includes a special rest area designed like an oasis. Here, a circular water mirror lies at the center, surrounding a semicircular bench where visitors can sit and reflect. A cypress tree, planted in the middle, symbolizes life and memory. The shallow water allows its roots to grow freely, highlighting the blend of nature and design. The lighting throughout the complex is gentle and warm, enhancing the intimate atmosphere and allowing each visitor to find a space for personal thoughts and memories.

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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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competition now

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