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Modular Living Spaces Enhanced with Sustainable Sandwich Panels and Desert-Integrated Design

Authors:
Samer Samuel Saad, Julie Salou
Modular Living Spaces Enhanced with Sustainable Sandwich Panels and Desert-Integrated Design

Project in-detail

Utilizing sustainable sandwich panels and a network of circular posts, the design integrates modular living spaces within a desert environment, promoting community interaction and ecological responsibility.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes a grid system of circular posts for structural support, minimizing foundation impact.
02
Features sustainable sandwich panels that enhance insulation and energy efficiency.
03
Incorporates rainwater harvesting systems to support ecological autonomy.
04
Designed with flexible modular configurations to adapt to community needs.
05
Integrates community gardens to promote biodiversity and food self-sufficiency.

**Overview**

The "Entre Deux" housing project addresses contemporary challenges related to urbanization and environmental sustainability within a rural desert context. Designed to revitalize these areas, the project aims to enhance local ecosystems while providing adaptable living spaces that minimize ecological footprints and combat issues such as land pressure and biodiversity loss due to suburban sprawl.

**Biomimetic Design and Community Focus**

Incorporating principles of biomimicry, the project emphasizes light, modular structures that facilitate adaptability and community cohesion. Configurations allow flexibility according to communal needs, with shared spaces intentionally designed to foster social interaction and support biodiversity. The emphasis on ecological autonomy is evident through features such as rainwater recovery systems and solar energy integration.

**Materiality and Structural Innovation**

Material selection plays a crucial role in the project's sustainability goals. Lightweight sandwich panels, solar units, and integrated water recycling systems contribute to energy efficiency and resource management. The structural design employs a grid system with circular posts and beams that reduce the need for extensive foundations, preserving the natural landscape. Prefabricated components enable efficient construction and site assembly, while structural bracing utilizes tie rods to enhance stability without compromising environmental integrity.

This project includes urban-integrating elements such as embedded vegetable gardens to encourage biodiversity, a network circulation system for water management, and thoughtfully arranged shared spaces that enhance community engagement. The architectural form aligns visually with the surrounding landscape, creating a harmonious aesthetic connection between the built and natural environments.

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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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