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Exploring Introspection Through Natural Integration and Journey Spaces

Author:
Mark O'bryan
Exploring Introspection Through Natural Integration and Journey Spaces

Project in-detail

Emphasizing introspection and journey spaces, the design integrates natural landscapes to create a harmonious residential environment that fosters a deep connection with the surrounding woods and mountains.
5 key facts about this project
01
Emphasizes a journey-focused design with interconnected spaces for reflection.
02
Incorporates natural landscapes into the layout, enhancing user experience.
03
Utilizes cross-laminated timber panels for sustainability and structural strength.
04
Features charred wooden shingles that blend with the surrounding environment.
05
The bent A-frame design maximizes views of the surrounding woods and mountains.

The design focuses on exploration and the connection between built structures and their natural surroundings. It evolves from a small garden to flowing woods, open oceans, and towering mountains. This journey is intended to create an engaging experience that highlights how people interact with different environments, emphasizing a narrative woven throughout the spaces.

Design Concept

The architectural layout transforms the idea of exploration into a real experience. Users are guided through a series of spaces that, while unique, feel like parts of a whole. Visual focus points are carefully placed along the path, which encourages movement and curiosity. This narrative is enriched by changes in scale, creating both wide views and more intimate areas that invite quiet reflection.

Natural Integration

The design reflects an appreciation for the various landscapes included in the concept. Each environment—ranging from thick forests to broad oceans and high mountains—informs the design elements meant to evoke their characteristics. The approach pays careful attention to how the structure fits among these natural features, creating a sense of harmony. Proportions respond to the landscape, allowing visitors to feel connected to their surroundings.

Material Considerations

While specific materials are not discussed in detail, the themes of earth and natural cycles suggest that material choices aim to reflect the different environments. The design likely considers how surfaces feel and look, capturing the essence of the landscapes it draws from. These choices will help create a tactile experience that enhances the connection between the spaces and the outside world.

Paths encourage ongoing exploration, leading visitors toward hidden corners and open sights. Architectural details relate to the natural surroundings, helping the design blend into its environment. This focus on unity between the built form and landscape enriches the overall experience.

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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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