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Glass Flooring and Local Lumber Create a Harmonious Cabin Experience

Authors:
Dillon Gorton, Rory Lowe
Glass Flooring and Local Lumber Create a Harmonious Cabin Experience
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Utilizing local lumber and innovative glass flooring, the design integrates a rooftop garden and a unique southern edge to create a small yet inviting cabin that immerses residents in the surrounding landscape.
5 key facts about this project
01
The southern edge aligns with neighboring structures for improved views and sunlight.
02
Local lumber is used to reflect the regional identity and reduce environmental impact.
03
A glass floor design reveals the landscape below, enhancing indoor-outdoor connection.
04
The rooftop garden promotes biodiversity and offers an elevated green space.
05
Multiple levels feature large windows that facilitate natural light throughout the cabin.

The project is located in the Mid-East region of Portugal and serves as a residential cabin designed to connect with nature. The overall concept revolves around blending the indoor spaces with the surrounding landscape. The aim is to create a living environment that is both comfortable and sustainable, respecting the local context.

Design Intent
The cabin's design features a unique southernmost edge that aligns with nearby structures. This detail enhances the views from inside while allowing more sunlight to enter the space. Such alignment not only improves the quality of light but also creates a visual link between the cabin and its environment, encouraging interaction with the landscape.

Material Choices
The project emphasizes the use of materials that are native to the region, focusing on sustainability. The primary materials include lumber and stone, sourced locally to reduce environmental impacts. This choice helps to create a strong connection to the local culture, ensuring the building fits well within its surroundings.

Spatial Organization
Inside, the cabin is organized on multiple levels connected by large windows. These windows allow light to flow throughout each space, linking the interior with the outdoors. A key feature of the design is the glass flooring, which provides views of the landscape below. This element enhances the connection between indoor and outdoor, blending the boundaries commonly found in traditional architecture.

Rooftop Integration
The cabin includes a rooftop garden that supports local wildlife and plants. This green space offers residents a place to escape and connect with nature above the ground. The design also incorporates textures and patterns that reflect the natural surroundings, giving the cabin a harmony with its setting.

The use of these details contributes to a sense of belonging and unity with the landscape, making the cabin a thoughtful response to its environment.

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Enter an open architecture
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Kingspan MICROHOME 2026: Building Less to Create More

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Competition organisers

The Kingspan MICROHOME 2026 competition invites architects and designers worldwide to rethink small-scale living by creating an off-grid, modular micro dwelling under 25 m². Now in its 11th edition, the contest emphasizes sustainable, innovative, and human-centered design that demonstrates how compact living can have a big impact.

With a €100,000 prize fund, entries will be evaluated for originality, efficiency, and their response to contemporary environmental and social challenges. The competition is open to everyone, with submissions allowed individually or in teams of up to four. Registration closes on 30 September 2026, and winners will be announced on 15 December 2026.

By celebrating creativity within strict limits, MICROHOME 2026 continues to push the boundaries of compact architecture and sustainable living.

MICROHOME 2026

Design a new concept of small-scale home and share a prize fund of 100,000€

100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #11 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 September 2026

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