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A Community-Focused Residential Complex Fostering Active Aging and Autonomous Living

Author:
Tamás Herczeg
A Community-Focused Residential Complex Fostering Active Aging and Autonomous Living

Project in-detail

The project offers an elder care facility prioritizing comfort and easy navigation, boosting residents' independence while ensuring their safety. It reimagines how architecture can support ageing with dignity, autonomy, and connection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Reinforced concrete walls enhance structural stability while minimizing maintenance.
02
Extensive use of glass facilitates natural light and visual connections to outdoor gardens.
03
Barrier-free design features guide residents through accessible pathways and communal areas.
04
Community gardens incorporate therapeutic horticulture, promoting resident engagement.
05
Open-plan layouts encourage social interactions while preserving individual privacy.

Located in Portugal, Casa dos Novos Horizontes is an elder care facility that emphasizes community connection, accessibility, and integration with the surrounding landscape. The layout balances private residential units with communal spaces designed to support daily routines and social interaction, fostering a supportive living environment that prioritizes comfort and autonomy.

Circulation and Spatial Organization

A fluid plan connects residential, social, and therapeutic areas with clear, barrier-free circulation. Wide corridors, accessible pathways, and step-free transitions ensure ease of movement throughout the facility, including for residents with mobility challenges. Each unit is designed for safety and functionality, promoting independence while maintaining close proximity to shared spaces that encourage interaction.

Light, Landscape, and Material Use

Extensive glazing and light wells introduce natural daylight into the interior, creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere. Materials are chosen to harmonize with the site, supporting a sense of continuity between built form and landscape. The inclusion of therapeutic horticulture spaces invites residents to participate in gardening activities, which support physical health and mental well-being. Outdoor areas and communal rooms are designed to encourage both individual retreat and collective engagement.

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MICROHOME 10: Celebrating Small-Scale Living with €100,000 Prize Fund and Kingspan’s Innovation

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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

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Affordable Housing Series 19th Edition
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #4
MICROHOME
MICROHOME
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
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