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Integrating Fair-Faced Concrete with Natural Brown Elements in a Community Space

Authors:
Haoze Wang, Chenxi Lei, Zhe Zheng, Ruijia Jia
Integrating Fair-Faced Concrete with Natural Brown Elements in a Community Space

Project in-detail

Constructed with fair-faced concrete and natural brown elements, the community space enhances its historical context while offering flexible areas for artistic collaboration and engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
The design incorporates an add-on structure that harmonizes with the original building's historical elements.
02
The transformation of select windows into doors enhances indoor-outdoor connectivity.
03
Ground floor layouts include artist workshops and flexible communal areas for multiple uses.
04
Built with low-E glass for improved energy efficiency and natural lighting.
05
The integration of a groundskeeper's house supports maintenance and operational needs on-site.

The Omuli Primary School is located in the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve and carries a significant historical background from its design in 1934-1936. Over the years, the school has experienced changes, including its closure and eventual transformation into the Omuli Museum of the Horse Competition in 2021. The design aims to encourage collective living and strong connections with the natural environment. The focus is on creating a space that supports community activities and fosters interaction among users.

Site Plan and Layout

The site plan organizes key features such as the entrance, an add-on section, a groundskeeper's house, parking, a pond, and a rest area. Each element has been placed thoughtfully to enhance accessibility and utility, ensuring diverse groups can engage with the space. The ground floor includes communal areas such as a lobby, artists' workshop, common living room, stage and conference room, showers, sauna, kitchen, exhibition hall, and dining area. This setup creates opportunities for various social activities and interaction.

Spatial Dynamics and Community Focus

The design encourages a strong sense of community. The arrangement allows for easy movement, which is important for fostering connections among users. Notably, the transformation of some windows into doors enhances the relationship between indoor and outdoor areas. The first floor expands on this theme, offering spaces for artist accommodation, a guest suite, and a linen room, which support both workshops and longer-term stays.

Materiality and Environmental Integration

The choice of materials is purposeful and reflects the design goals. Fair-faced concrete and hotched concrete provide a modern look, while timber and pargetted bricks introduce warmth and variation in texture. Low-E glass is used to improve energy efficiency and support sustainability. Additionally, aluminium alloy and steel roof beams ensure the building is sturdy enough for its intended uses.

The design leads to a series of connected spaces that encourage interaction between inside and outside, promoting a sense of community within the Omuli Primary School.

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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

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Affordable Housing Series 19th Edition
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #4
MICROHOME
MICROHOME
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
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