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Fiber Cement Facades and Quadrant Layout in Cooperative Living Spaces

Authors:
Mariana Moro, Eduardo Tong, Marcella Carone
Fiber Cement Facades and Quadrant Layout in Cooperative Living Spaces

Project in-detail

Reinterpreting traditional Chinese housing, the design employs fiber cement facades and a quadrant layout to create a cohesive community focused on sustainable living and agricultural productivity.
5 key facts about this project
01
Fiber cement facades provide durability and energy efficiency.
02
The layout employs a quadrant design enhancing community interaction.
03
Proximity algorithms determine optimal placement of living clusters.
04
Courtyard typologies foster social engagement and collective activities.
05
Integrated gardens promote personal cultivation alongside communal farming.

The architectural design focuses on integrating urban and rural elements within a hybrid living context. Located in China, the project addresses the challenges of rural transformation by creating a framework that respects cultural identity while meeting modern living requirements. The concept revolves around the formation of hybrid productive clusters, which facilitate the relationship between different ways of living and community interaction.

Cultural Identity and Spatial Organization

Preserving cultural identity is fundamental to the design. Traditional Chinese housing types have been reinterpreted to create a variety of living spaces. Houses are arranged within quadrants, establishing a clear structural hierarchy. This layout encourages community interaction while allowing flexibility to adapt to different agricultural settings. Each cluster includes both private and shared areas, where residents can engage in gardening and small-scale farming, enhancing their daily lives.

Integration Through Strategic Planning

The placement of new communities is guided by proximity algorithms, ensuring optimal locations in relation to existing agricultural resources. This careful planning enhances the sense of unity within the landscape and encourages connectivity among residents. The design includes defined pathways and access roads, forming a circulation network that supports movement and social ties within the community.

Material Selection and Construction Techniques

Construction employs prefabricated wood beams and columns connected by self-locking joints. These materials contribute to an efficient assembly process. The use of fiber cement double-layered panels for façades adds durability and improves energy performance. Such choices support variable spatial configurations, allowing for different living arrangements while promoting sustainability throughout the development.

Communal Engagement and Interaction

Communal spaces are central to the design, promoting social interaction among residents. Courtyard areas serve as gathering spots for community activities and shared tasks, encouraging collaboration in agricultural practices. By focusing on collective living, the design aims to create a supportive environment that nurtures relationships and fosters community spirit.

Gardens surrounding residential units provide opportunities for personal cultivation and connection to the wider community. This relationship between private and shared spaces reinforces the design's goal of creating a sustainable lifestyle that balances traditional values with contemporary needs.

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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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