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Emphasizing Natural Light and Ventilation in a Volcanic Landscape Coffee Shop

Author:
Eduardo Shamosh
Emphasizing Natural Light and Ventilation in a Volcanic Landscape Coffee Shop

Project in-detail

Built within a volcanic landscape, the design maximizes natural light and ventilation to create a comfortable coffee shop that blends seamlessly with its surroundings.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed in a volcanic area, the project enhances its connection to the landscape.
02
The design features a bent A-frame structure that optimizes natural light.
03
Natural ventilation strategies improve indoor climate comfort throughout the year.
04
Clearly defined functional zones facilitate efficient movement and user interaction.
05
Large windows provide unobstructed views, integrating the interior with the exterior landscape.

The OvalO Hverfjall project is located within Iceland's volcanic terrain, providing a coffee shop that connects visitors with its striking natural environment. The design aims to create a strong link between inside and outside, focusing on user comfort and accessibility. This approach ensures the coffee shop fits well with its setting, offering a relaxing space for patrons to enjoy.

Natural Light and Ventilation

The design emphasizes natural light, featuring well-placed openings that allow sunlight to fill the interior. This creates a warm, inviting atmosphere while reducing the need for artificial lighting. The layout also accounts for natural ventilation, which helps maintain a pleasant indoor climate. The careful consideration of these factors enhances the overall experience for visitors, making it a comfortable place to unwind.

Functional Zoning

The coffee shop's layout is divided into clearly defined areas, including dining, service, and storage spaces. This organization allows for smooth movement throughout the shop. Each zone serves its purpose well, ensuring that patrons can socialize comfortably while staff can manage operations efficiently. This arrangement contributes to a practical space that meets the needs of both customers and employees.

Integration with the Landscape

Choosing to place the coffee shop in the Hverfjall volcanic area highlights its connection to the surrounding nature. The design takes into account the local landscape, respecting the natural contours and features. This choice not only enhances the building's identity but also creates a distinctive experience for visitors as they engage with the environment around them.

The roofline gently rises and falls, echoing the nearby volcanic formations, while large windows frame views of the landscape, drawing attention to the beauty outside.

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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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