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Light-Filled Pavilion with Polycarbonate Canopies and Digital Interaction Spaces

Authors:
Say yin Chuah, Frank yi feng Lee
Light-Filled Pavilion with Polycarbonate Canopies and Digital Interaction Spaces

Project in-detail

Translucent polycarbonate canopies shape a light-filled pavilion that enhances digital interaction and fosters community engagement through carefully designed spaces.
5 key facts about this project
01
Light tubes simulate fiber optics, enhancing the pavilion's connection to digital themes.
02
The design includes a "digital grid" floor plan symbolizing data connectivity.
03
Artificial trees contrast the pavilion's structure, reflecting the integration of nature and technology.
04
Enclosed interaction spaces function as "bubbles," encouraging social engagement.
05
The pavilion's transparent walls create a dynamic interaction with the surrounding environment.

Digital Cosmos is a pavilion designed to represent the connection between digital and physical worlds, focusing on humanity's achievements in global connectivity through the internet. It is located at the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex, close to key satellite launching sites. This position highlights the pavilion's role in a world increasingly dependent on digital communication, especially during critical times like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Architectural Concept

The pavilion translates digital qualities into a physical form. The design highlights timelessness and a lack of fixed location, reflecting the essence of digital spaces. Using transparency, translucency, and reflectivity, the structure interacts with light in ways that echo the fluidity of digital environments. This combination creates an inviting atmosphere that encourages exploration.

Spatial Organization

The layout includes multiple functional spaces, such as galleries, a cafe, workshops, an open theatre, and a reception area. This arrangement supports easy movement and promotes visitor interaction, making it suitable for group activities. A key feature is the "digital grid" overlaid on the floor plan, symbolizing the connections that data and individuals share within the digital landscape.

Interaction Spaces

Enclosed areas are designed as "bubbles of interaction," representing the various groups that operate in a digital network. These spaces encourage social interactions among visitors, reflecting the fragmented nature of digital communication. This design element emphasizes the importance of human connections in a digital age, inviting visitors to engage with one another as they explore the pavilion.

Light and Ambiance

Light tubes are integrated into the design as metaphors for fiber optics. They illuminate the spaces and enhance the overall experience. The perforated roof allows natural light to enter, creating a lively atmosphere inside. Artificial trees are placed thoughtfully throughout the pavilion, providing a contrast to the natural environment outside. This design choice highlights the pavilion's role as a link between the digital and physical realms.

The pavilion's careful use of light and open spaces fosters an inviting quality. Visitors are encouraged to navigate through and experience the interplay between technology and human interaction.

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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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