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Floating Ceiling and Green Roof Blend in a Tranquil Meditation Space

Author:
Brenda Izen
Floating Ceiling and Green Roof Blend in a Tranquil Meditation Space

Project in-detail

A continuous transom window creates a light-filled atmosphere above a green roof garden, enhancing the connection to nature within a serene space dedicated to meditation and wellness.
5 key facts about this project
01
Green roof garden enhances thermal insulation and stormwater management.
02
Transom window creates a floating ceiling effect, maximizing natural light.
03
Elevated on concrete retaining walls to preserve the natural landscape.
04
Lower mindful space includes communal and private areas for meditation.
05
Thin steel columns echo the verticality of surrounding trees.

The Garden Yoga House is a well-designed space that consists of three separate volumes: an outdoor garden, a lower mindful space, and an upper relaxation room. Set in a natural landscape, the design encourages a strong connection between inside and outside. It focuses on practices like forest bathing and meditation, allowing users to fully immerse themselves in the peaceful surroundings.

Lower Mindful Space

The lower mindful volume includes important areas such as a communal kitchen, shower facilities, and individual yoga rooms. By positioning the yoga rooms at the back, the design prioritizes privacy while creating an intimate relationship with nature. This setup not only supports personal meditation but also fosters community interaction, making it easier for users to connect with each other.

Upper Relaxation Volume

Above this, the upper relaxation volume features a spacious yoga studio designed with a continuous transom window. This design gives the impression of a floating ceiling, which enhances the overall feeling of openness and light. The structure is supported by the cliff and slender steel columns, which echo the vertical lines of nearby trees, helping to incorporate natural elements into the design.

Sustainability and Materiality

Sustainability is a key feature in this design. The lower mindful space is elevated on concrete retaining walls, which ensures that the natural ground remains undisturbed. A green roof garden adds insulation and improves stormwater management, showing a commitment to ecological principles. The construction utilizes precast concrete walls for strength, while wood is used for both the interior and exterior, promoting harmony with the environment.

Design Details

Every element in the Garden Yoga House aims to strengthen the connection to the outdoors. Pathways encourage exploration, while windows are placed to invite in natural light. The design carefully considers how to create an atmosphere conducive to meditation, offering a tranquil space that prioritizes reflection and well-being for its users.

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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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Chair
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MICROHOME
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
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