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Honeycomb Vent Bricks and Sustainable AAC Blocks Define a Climate-Responsive Residence

Author:
Hiba Alqadah
Honeycomb Vent Bricks and Sustainable AAC Blocks Define a Climate-Responsive Residence

Project in-detail

Crafted with honeycomb vent bricks and AAC blocks, this residence offers optimal thermal comfort and ventilation, serving as a functional family home in a challenging climate.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed using honeycomb vent bricks that enhance passive cooling.
02
Utilizes AAC blocks for lightweight thermal insulation and energy efficiency.
03
Incorporates courtyards to promote cross ventilation and reduce heat.
04
Features a traditional *almajlis* space that reflects local cultural values.
05
Designed to harmonize with the challenging climate while maintaining comfort.

### Project Overview
The Honey Comb House is located in the Middle East, designed to respond effectively to the region's challenging climate while prioritizing sustainability and functionality. This residential dwelling integrates local materials that reflect cultural identity and employs passive environmental strategies to enhance thermal comfort and energy efficiency.

### Spatial Arrangement and Functional Zoning
The layout of the Honey Comb House is organized into three distinct zones to optimize privacy and utility:

- **Guest Zone**: Comprised of an *almajlis*, office, pantry, and washroom, this area caters to hospitality needs.

- **Family Zone**: Serving as the core of domestic life, this central space includes living areas, a pool, dining room, and bedrooms to facilitate family interactions.

- **Service Zone**: This functional component houses the kitchen, laundry, maid's room, driver’s room, and storage, ensuring efficient household operations.

The design incorporates transitional courtyards between these zones, enhancing airflow and reducing heat transfer through strategically placed wind tunnels that promote cross-ventilation, thereby decreasing the need for mechanical cooling.

### Materials and Environmental Considerations
The Honey Comb House utilizes locally sourced materials known for their sustainability attributes and thermal performance. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks form the primary wall structure, providing high thermal insulation and energy efficiency due to their lightweight nature.

Local clay vent bricks, designed in a honeycomb pattern, offer aesthetic appeal while facilitating ventilation. Additional thermal insulation enhances the building's energy efficiency, contributing to a comfortable indoor climate. The integration of honeycomb vent blocks serves to promote passive cooling by allowing airflow while minimizing direct sunlight exposure, aligning the design with the climatic conditions of the region.

The project further incorporates large openings and glass elements to create visual connections to outdoor spaces, fostering an indoor-outdoor living experience. Shallow reflective water features contribute to both the aesthetic value and functional cooling of the interior spaces.

The overall interior design emphasizes fluidity and openness, utilizing natural materials, colors, and textures to cultivate a warm and inviting atmosphere while ensuring practical usability and a modern aesthetic that honors local cultural elements.

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MICROHOME 10: Celebrating Small-Scale Living with €100,000 Prize Fund and Kingspan’s Innovation

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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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