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Embracing Wabi-Sabi Within Stone and Wood for a Mindful Tea Experience

Author:
Brian Tien
Embracing Wabi-Sabi Within Stone and Wood for a Mindful Tea Experience

Project in-detail

Rooted in stone and wood, the design captures the essence of Wabi-sabi to create a tranquil space for tea ceremonies that fosters mindfulness and community engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
Elevated on existing stone walls to minimize land disturbance.
02
Designed to encourage a deep connection with the surrounding natural landscape.
03
Incorporates sliding doors that blur indoor and outdoor boundaries.
04
Features communal areas specifically for yoga and meditation activities.
05
Emphasizes Wabi-sabi principles through simple, natural materials.

The Hut is a design focused on the tea ceremony, exploring connections between spiritual and physical experiences. Located in a natural landscape, it serves as a calm space for both personal reflection and group activities. The overall design concept emphasizes a lightweight structure, elevated above existing stone walls, minimizing the impact on the environment while promoting a relationship with nature.

Design Concept

The Hut takes an environmentally friendly approach, prioritizing the preservation of the site. By sitting on solid stone walls, it requires minimal excavation, ensuring the integrity of the land. Modular floor and roof components make it quick and efficient to assemble on-site, allowing for flexible use tailored to various functions. The thoughtful arrangement of spaces encourages introspection and fosters community interaction, enabling users to engage more deeply with their surroundings.

Interaction with Nature

A significant aspect of The Hut is its focus on connecting with the landscape. Paths are designed to encourage visitors to explore the nearby forests. The sliding doors create easy transitions between inside and outside, bringing in natural light and views. This design blurs traditional boundaries, integrating nature into the experience. The communal areas are designed for activities like yoga and meditation, reinforcing the connection to the environment.

Materiality and Aesthetic

The Hut honors the history of the site by keeping the original stone walls, while incorporating wood finished surfaces for warmth. Glass in the sliding doors enhances daylight and openness. These materials reflect a commitment to simplicity and the beauty of natural imperfections, inviting reflection on the surrounding environment and the tea ceremony itself.

Spatial Organization

Inside, The Hut is divided into private quarters, a tea room, and an open communal space for activities. This layout supports both solitude and social interaction, key elements for enjoying the tea ceremony. The design invites users to connect with each other while also allowing personal time for contemplation.

The exterior walkway encourages appreciation of the views, creating a strong link between the structure and its surroundings. The elements of the design work together to enhance the tea ceremony experience, celebrating both nature and human interaction.

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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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