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Living Walls and Recycled Wood Define a Portable Community Space

Authors:
Antigoni Ntavou, Georgia Ntoukaki
Living Walls and Recycled Wood Define a Portable Community Space

Project in-detail

Constructed with living walls and utilizing recycled wood, this transportable coffee house fosters community engagement while seamlessly integrating into its surroundings.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed using living walls that enhance environmental integration.
02
Utilizes recycled wood for structural elements, emphasizing sustainability.
03
Features a bent A-frame design to optimize space and aesthetics.
04
Incorporates heating panels for user comfort in various settings.
05
Transportable, allowing flexibility in location and community engagement.

## Overview

The Fika Transportable Coffee House is designed to promote community engagement and sustainable practices through an innovative, mobile structure. Adventuring beyond traditional urban confines, the coffee house can be easily deployed in various settings, from bustling city squares to serene rural locales. Emphasizing the Swedish tradition of "fika," the design fosters social interaction and creates a welcoming environment for coffee enthusiasts.

## Mobility and User-Centric Design

The coffee house features a compact footprint of 24 square meters (approximately 4 by 6 meters) and embodies a flexible spatial strategy that encourages adaptability. The structure can be transported by truck to a range of locations, ensuring accessibility and embracing varying social dynamics. Inside, the layout accommodates up to five seated customers and two baristas, with amenities that prioritize comfort, including in-floor heating and flexible living walls to enhance openness.

## Material Selection and Sustainability

Sustainable construction practices are central to the Fika Coffee House's design. Utilizing recycled and reclaimed materials, such as wood and cork, the project minimizes environmental impact while ensuring durability and thermal efficiency. The thoughtful material choices contribute to a warm, inviting interior, vital for creating a cozy atmosphere conducive to relaxation and dialogue. The gabled roof and large glass panels further integrate the structure with its surroundings, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces.

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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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