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Rammed Earth Walls and Wind Towers Enhance Sustainable Living in Communal Courtyards

Authors:
Magdalini Petroleka, Kimon Konstantaras
Rammed Earth Walls and Wind Towers Enhance Sustainable Living in Communal Courtyards

Project in-detail

Rammed earth walls and strategically integrated wind towers create a sustainable environment that fosters community interaction within a series of interconnected courtyards designed for modern living.
5 key facts about this project
01
Rammed earth walls provide thermal mass for energy efficiency.
02
Wind towers enhance natural ventilation throughout the living spaces.
03
Communal courtyards promote social interaction among residents.
04
Cross-laminated timber elements offer structural versatility and sustainability.
05
Strategically placed trombe walls contribute to passive solar heating.

### Overview
The residential design is located in an urban area characterized by rapid development and climatic challenges typical of a desert environment. It aims to create functional living spaces that honor traditional architectural principles while incorporating contemporary needs and sustainability practices. The layout is strategically organized around central courtyards, promoting both privacy and natural ventilation, thus integrating cultural aesthetics with modern residential living.

### Spatial Strategy
The plan employs a geometric layout that maximizes land use efficiency and fosters communal interactions. Central courtyards serve as multifunctional spaces that encourage social engagement among residents. By organizing living areas around these open spaces, the design not only enhances airflow but also creates visual connections between indoors and outdoors, contributing to an overall sense of community.

### Materiality and Sustainability
The selection of materials plays a pivotal role in this design, focusing on sustainability and environmental responsiveness. The incorporation of rammed earth panels enhances thermal mass, aiding in temperature regulation. Pre-cast concrete elements provide structural resilience, while trombe walls utilize passive solar heating to optimize energy efficiency. Wooden screens and lattices enhance aesthetic appeal, offering shade and privacy, whereas strategically placed glass elements invite natural light, reinforcing the connection between interior spaces and the exterior environment. Additional features such as solar panels and wind towers further support the project’s sustainability goals by promoting energy independence and natural ventilation, respectively.

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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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