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Local Stone and Glass Fiber Panels Create Camouflaged Community Gathering Space

Author:
Fernie Lai
Local Stone and Glass Fiber Panels Create Camouflaged Community Gathering Space

Project in-detail

Grounded in local stone and reinforced with glass fiber, the design creates a community gathering space that integrates seamlessly with its natural environment, fostering connection and solitude among its ten guest rooms.
5 key facts about this project
01
Grounded in local stone, enhancing environmental integration.
02
Panels made from ground local stone, reinforced with glass fiber.
03
Atrium design promotes natural light and community interaction.
04
Ten guest rooms configured in a unique masonry maze layout.
05
Strategically positioned for views of the northern lights.

The design emphasizes a careful connection between the building and its natural setting, located in a landscape that requires a thoughtful approach. The concept revolves around blending the structure with the surroundings, using local materials to ensure that the project fits within its environment. A canopied atrium serves as a central space for gathering, allowing for both social interaction and a strong link to the outside.

Material Considerations

The choice of materials highlights an emphasis on sustainability and local relevance. Local stone is a key component, processed into a fine powder and reinforced with glass fiber. This method not only increases strength but also allows for custom panel fabrication. These panels, made away from the site, reduce the environmental footprint of the building process.

Spatial Organization

Visitors enter through a slightly lowered plaza, which leads into the atrium. The atrium features rough stone walls and is surrounded by ten guest rooms set in a maze-like arrangement. This design promotes privacy for guests while still encouraging a sense of community. It creates a space where occupants can feel connected to one another.

Vertical Connectivity

A central staircase connects the atrium to the public areas above it, facilitating movement throughout the building. This stairwell is not just functional; it frames views that draw attention to the natural landscape outside. Upper floors feature public kitchens, dining, and living spaces, designed to take advantage of the scenery, including the possibility of viewing the northern lights.

Large glass panels in the railings of the upper levels bring in natural light and provide unobstructed views of the landscape, enhancing the overall experience. This connection to the environment is further emphasized by the careful placement of windows that allow occupants to engage with the changing atmosphere around them.

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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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