Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

Learn from past Buildner architecture competition participants through our extensive project library, curated over more than 15 years!

Playful Polycarbonate Cubes Enhancing Community Reading Spaces

Author:
Rawan Elnatour
Playful Polycarbonate Cubes Enhancing Community Reading Spaces

Project in-detail

Colorful polycarbonate cubes create adaptable reading spaces that blend personal contemplation with communal interaction in an engaging outdoor environment.
5 key facts about this project
01
Modular cubes can be configured for both private and communal reading.
02
Colorful polycarbonate panels enhance natural light while providing privacy.
03
Spaces adapt to climate variations, serving enclosed or open environments.
04
Design encourages interaction with the surrounding natural landscape.
05
Innovative layout prioritizes both individual reflection and social engagement.

The Readbks Cube project introduces innovative spaces designed specifically for reading. Located in an engaging outdoor setting, the project emphasizes modular design that responds to user needs. Each cube serves as a separate reading area, but they can also be grouped together to create larger communal spaces. This design encourages both individual contemplation and shared experiences, positioning reading as a journey into imagination.

Design Concept

The Readbks Cube consists of cubic structures that can change shape to provide different types of spaces. Each cube can stand alone to offer privacy for solitary readers or join with others to foster group interactions. This flexibility allows for a variety of activities, enhancing the overall experience of engaging with literature.

Environmental Adaptability

The layout is designed with climate in mind. In cooler environments, cubes can become enclosed rooms that provide warmth and comfort for readers. In warmer climates, the arrangement can allow for open-air reading spaces, integrating the natural surroundings into the reading experience. This consideration for local conditions highlights the project's responsive nature.

Material Selection

Colorful polycarbonate sheets are used in the construction of the cubes. These materials help create bright, inviting spaces while providing some privacy. The transparency of the polycarbonate allows natural light to fill the interiors, enhancing the reading atmosphere. This choice of material adds to the playful character of the design, making it more appealing to users.

The design effectively connects indoor spaces with the outdoors, encouraging movement and interaction. Readers can enjoy literature surrounded by nature, making the experience both enriching and engaging. Each cube becomes an invitation to explore not just books but also the world around them.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

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

`
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

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
To view this project in detail,
please log in with your
Architects’ Network Plus account.
Subscription instantly unlocks all the architecture projects plus other member-only benefits:
  • Access the 17,725 Concept Library
  • Professional tools including file transfer, email, portfolio management, and more
Register now
Already a member? Log in

This website uses cookies to improve user experience and gather usage statistics.

More information is available in our Privacy & Cookie policy