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Floating Housing Built Around Tidal Energy and Community Gardens

Authors:
Chenyu Shi, Yisong Liu
Floating Housing Built Around Tidal Energy and Community Gardens

Project in-detail

Floating housing blocks rise and fall with the tidal rhythms of the Thames, integrating community gardens and sustainable features to create a vibrant living space designed for urban residents.
5 key facts about this project
01
Floating blocks adapt to tidal changes, enhancing interaction with the river.
02
Community gardens are integrated into front spaces to promote neighborly connections.
03
Design includes vertical parks that offer dynamic social areas for residents.
04
Modular apartment configurations allow flexibility in response to housing demands.
05
Tidal energy harnessing contributes to the building's sustainability efforts.

The "Homes on Tide" project introduces a new type of housing along the River Thames, located in central London. It takes advantage of the waterfront space that is not commonly used, making it available for residential living while promoting interaction among residents. The main idea centers around floating housing blocks that move with the tides, allowing the design to respond directly to the changing water levels and create a unique living environment.

Design Interaction with Tides

Floating housing blocks rise and fall as the Thames flows, allowing the architecture to mirror the river's natural movements. This relationship with the water enhances the living experience, making nature an everyday part of life for residents. The design includes gardens that sit in front of each unit, encouraging people to meet and mingle. This setup resembles traditional streets, creating familiar and comfortable spaces for social interactions.

Community and Green Spaces

The spaces between the housing blocks are designed as vertical parks. These areas serve as places where residents can relax and socialize. They adapt to the tides, providing different experiences as the water levels change throughout the day. This flexibility keeps the community spaces lively and inviting, encouraging residents to connect and engage with one another.

Functional Diversity

The project addresses various housing needs found in central London. Sixty percent of the apartments are designed for individuals or couples, catering to the city's younger workforce. Another thirty percent are intended for small families, while ten percent are designed for larger families. The modular design of the apartments allows for adjustments, making it easier to respond to changing community needs and preferences.

Sustainability Features

Sustainability is an important aspect of the design. The project includes affordable housing, commercial spaces, and accessible piers. Floating platforms and turbines are integrated to take advantage of tidal energy, helping to reduce the project's impact on the environment. The overall intent is to create functional living spaces that coexist with nature in a responsible manner.

Residents enjoy changing views of the river, with the scenery shifting throughout the day. This connection to the water enhances daily life and marks a departure from traditional urban living, encouraging a lifestyle that is more attuned to natural rhythms.

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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

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