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Exploring Vulnerability Through Pierceable Facades in Urban Resilience

Author:
Adela Ho
Exploring Vulnerability Through Pierceable Facades in Urban Resilience

Project in-detail

With its pierceable facades that embody the tension between urban ambition and vulnerability, the design serves as a memorial space for reflection and storytelling in the wake of historical tragedy.
5 key facts about this project
01
Unique pierceable facades enhance the perception of vulnerability in urban contexts.
02
Designed to promote interactive storytelling among visitors, encouraging reflection.
03
Memorialization is integrated within the structure, evoking emotional responses to history.
04
The project emphasizes the use of natural light to create a sense of hope.
05
Architectural forms express a balance between strength and fragility in design.

Towering Memories is designed as a tribute to the events of 9/11, situated in a modern urban environment. The project reflects on human ambition while recognizing the vulnerability that comes with elevating structures to great heights. It explores the tension between monumental forms and a historical narrative of loss, creating a space where visitors can reflect on achievement and fragility.

Conceptual Framework
The design highlights the ongoing pursuit of height in city landscapes, resonating with the aspirations of society. This theme is particularly relevant in today’s context, where conflicts like the ongoing situation in Ukraine remind viewers of the risks urban spaces face. The design creates a discussion about resilience, portraying the skyline as both a marker of progress and a symbol of vulnerability.

Pierceable Facades
An important aspect of Towering Memories is the concept of pierceable facades, which suggest a sense of fragility in the architectural forms. The towers stand as symbols of success, yet they also confront the reality of potential destruction. By incorporating this idea, the design encourages a more profound engagement with the emotional narratives surrounding both achievement and loss.

Interactive Spaces
The layout of spaces within the building is meant to support interaction and storytelling. These areas invite visitors to immerse themselves in both personal and shared narratives linked to the structures. This fosters awareness of the experiences that shape the identity of the city. Thoughtfully designed zones offer opportunities for reflection, aligning with broader themes of memory and resilience.

Textural Detail
The design balances ambition with an awareness of vulnerability, making a clear statement through its architectural form. Visitors experience an array of design elements that enhance their connection to the narrative, including varied surface treatments and openings that allow light to filter in, symbolizing hope amidst the weight of history.

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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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Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
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