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Earth-Sheltered Residences with Reinforced Concrete and Blast-Resistant Glazing for Enhanced Community Resilience

Author:
Bryan Najim Heidmous
Earth-Sheltered Residences with Reinforced Concrete and Blast-Resistant Glazing for Enhanced Community Resilience

Project in-detail

Incorporating reinforced concrete combined with earth sheltering, the design maximizes safety and energy efficiency, creating resilient housing solutions within a community-focused framework.
5 key facts about this project
01
Integrates bomb shelter components into residential units for enhanced safety.
02
Employs a 1/2-meter thick earth covering for natural insulation and protection.
03
Utilizes local materials to minimize environmental impact and support the economy.
04
Features modular construction for rapid assembly and adaptability.
05
Incorporates water collection systems to aid in sustainable irrigation practices.

### Overview

The Kharkiv Housing Challenge addresses the urgent socio-political challenges in the Kharkiv region, particularly the need for sustainable living environments in the context of ongoing threats. This design emphasizes modularity, safety, and community integration, aiming to enhance the resilience of urban spaces while promoting an adaptive approach to housing amid uncertainty.

### Modular and Resilient Design Strategy

Central to the design is a multi-functional structure that incorporates essential services while utilizing a modular approach. This allows for scalable implementation, adaptable to various community sizes and urban contexts. The architecture features bomb shelter components with a 1/2-meter thick earth covering, a reinforced concrete shell, and blast-resistant windows and doors to enhance safety. These elements contribute to a rapid construction timeline and facilitate easily modifiable spaces, ensuring a responsive design that meets the diverse needs of residents.

### Sustainable Materiality

The project's commitment to sustainability is evident through various features aimed at minimizing environmental impact. Water collection systems and thermal insulation methods are designed to optimize energy use, critical in Kharkiv's cold climate. The selection of local materials further reduces the carbon footprint, promoting local economies while ensuring structural integrity. A variety of materials—including reinforced concrete, blast-resistant glazing, and stucco with metal lath—are integrated to enhance both durability and aesthetic appeal, thus creating a cohesive built environment that resonates with the region's character.

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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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