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Elevated Mini Spaces With Timber Planks And Colorful Windows

Authors:
Jonin Ngo, John Mai
Elevated Mini Spaces With Timber Planks And Colorful Windows

Project in-detail

Elevated platforms made of timber planks and framed by colorful windows create a series of inviting mini spaces designed for meditation and community interaction in the Latvian landscape.
5 key facts about this project
01
Four distinct mini spaces cater to various activities like drawing and meditation.
02
The design incorporates colorful windows that reflect the architectural style of Riga.
03
Sloped roofs draw inspiration from traditional Latvian architecture for snow management.
04
Elevated platforms minimize landscape disruption and enhance wildlife coexistence.
05
Rounded ladder rungs provide a tactile experience in accessing elevated areas.

The Aizbēgt project offers a fresh take on a meditation cabin, turning it into a playful retreat in the Latvian landscape. This structure allows people to disconnect from daily life and reconnect with nature. By blending practical spaces with a light-hearted design, it provides opportunities for both personal reflection and community engagement.

Design Concept

The design focuses on four separate mini spaces, each catering to different activities like drawing, reading, or meditating. Users can choose how they want to interact with their environment. This approach rejects the need for a large, open space dedicated to meditation, instead highlighting how individualized experiences can take many forms. A central hearth ties the mini spaces together, adding warmth and encouraging social connections among visitors.

Materials and Structure

Drawing inspiration from traditional Latvian architecture, the design incorporates sloped roofs that effectively handle snow while requiring minimal maintenance. The cabins feature timber planks on their exteriors and use natural tree logs as columns for support. These choices help the buildings blend into the surrounding landscape, as the raised columns avoid disrupting the local terrain and wildlife.

Circulation and Engagement

Movement throughout the space is designed to be active and engaging. Ladders and pathways connect the elevated areas, necessitating a physical approach for users to reach different spots. Climbing the rounded ladder rungs creates a sensory experience, reinforcing the idea that users are stepping away from the fast pace of modern life.

Spatial Experience

Colorful windows characterize the cabins, reflecting the lively architectural style of Riga. This feature brings natural light into the interiors and adds personality to the buildings. By allowing individuals to select their paths and spaces, the design nurtures a sense of freedom and personal choice. The project promotes values of self-reliance and privacy that resonate with Latvian culture.

The elevated platforms offer not only a different perspective over the natural surroundings but also a unique opportunity for contemplation, encouraging users to experience their connection with nature in a profound way.

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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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