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A Ribbon-Like Timber Canopy Structure Designed to Enhance a Park Entry

Authors:
Weronika Kogut, Karolina Toporkiewicz
A Ribbon-Like Timber Canopy Structure Designed to Enhance a Park Entry

Project in-detail

Utilizing cross-laminated timber panels and a distinctive canopy structure, the design enhances visitor engagement while providing essential facilities for recreation and education within a natural setting.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes cross-laminated timber panels for enhanced structural efficiency.
02
Incorporates charred wooden shingles for improved durability and aesthetics.
03
Features a bent A-frame design that optimizes natural light and airflow.
04
Integrates rainwater harvesting systems to promote sustainable resource management.
05
Includes educational displays designed to inform visitors about local ecology.

Pape Park Gateway serves as the threshold to Pape Park, combining a visitor facility with an educational hub that fosters direct engagement with the surrounding landscape. Conceived as a multifunctional public structure, it integrates sustainable construction practices with recreational and learning opportunities, creating a welcoming interface between community and nature.

Architectural Form

At the heart of the project is a ribbon-like canopy structure that unfolds across the site. This dynamic form provides shelter, organizes circulation, and frames views of the park. An integrated observation platform extends the experience, offering vantage points that allow visitors to connect visually with the landscape before exploring further.

Material Expression

Material selection underscores the project’s environmental commitment. Cross-laminated timber forms the primary structure, while clay-straw composite walls contribute natural insulation and a tactile quality. Reinforced concrete defines boundary and retaining elements, ensuring structural stability. Complementary systems such as photovoltaic panels and rainwater harvesting highlight the project’s emphasis on resource efficiency and ecological responsibility.

Community and Learning Spaces

The gateway functions as both a recreational anchor and an educational resource. Playgrounds, camping areas, and gathering spaces invite diverse activities, while interpretive displays along pathways provide insights into local ecology. This dual focus strengthens the project’s role as a site of both leisure and learning, cultivating awareness of environmental processes.

The design ensures accessibility and fluid visitor movement through clear spatial organization, guiding users from entry points to activity areas and onward into the park. By merging ecological awareness with community interaction, the design enriches the visitor experience and reinforces the bond between people and landscape.

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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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