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Lattice-Walled Living Spaces Featuring Coral Stone and Eco-Friendly Bio-Bricks

Authors:
Seyeon Jeong, Chen-wei Lin
Lattice-Walled Living Spaces Featuring Coral Stone and Eco-Friendly Bio-Bricks

Project in-detail

Incorporating environmentally-friendly bio-bricks and a distinctive lattice wall design, this modular living space offers a customizable approach to modern family housing in the UAE.
5 key facts about this project
01
Incorporates traditional Emirati materials like coral stone for structural integrity.
02
Features customizable modular units that adapt to changing family needs.
03
Utilizes a lattice wall design for passive cooling and natural ventilation.
04
Integrates bio-bricks for sustainable insulation and environmental efficiency.
05
Emphasizes cultural heritage through modern interpretations of historic architecture.

**Overview and Intent**
The "Rooms à la Carte" project is situated in the UAE, illustrating a comprehensive approach to sustainable living that blends traditional Emirati architectural elements with modern, modular design strategies. Designed to adapt to the dynamic needs of contemporary families, the project addresses environmental considerations while enhancing user experience through flexible living spaces. By integrating modularity into its core concept, the project emphasizes personalization and functionality, reflecting an understanding of evolving lifestyles.

**Spatial Configuration and User Experience**
The layout of "Rooms à la Carte" offers a customizable configuration that allows families to define their living environments according to their requirements. The modular design supports various arrangements, facilitating interactions in communal areas while maintaining privacy in private quarters. A robust focus on natural light and ventilation is incorporated throughout, enhancing occupant comfort and reducing dependency on artificial climate control systems.

**Materiality and Sustainability**
The material selection for the project thoughtfully merges traditional materials with sustainable innovations. The use of coral stone, micro cement, bio-bricks, channel glass, and lattice walls not only ensures structural integrity but also honors the cultural heritage of the region. These choices support eco-friendly practices, such as energy-efficient passive cooling mechanisms and local sourcing, which minimize the ecological footprint. The lattice walls, inspired by Mashrabiya, enhance natural ventilation, contribute to thermal comfort, and exemplify the synthesis of traditional aesthetics with contemporary construction techniques.

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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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