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Recycled Brick Units with Front-Yard Spaces for Community Living

Author:
Xiaowei Bai
Recycled Brick Units with Front-Yard Spaces for Community Living

Project in-detail

Stackable two-storey units with recycled brick facades and integrated front-yard spaces create communal living environments tailored for relocating farming families in China.
5 key facts about this project
01
Modular units allow for easy stacking and expansion according to community needs.
02
Recycled brick facades enhance sustainability while providing visual variety.
03
Design includes integrated front-yards that foster social interaction.
04
Adaptable layouts accommodate traditional two-generation and three-generation families.
05
Units designed to optimize land use, addressing rural housing demands.

The design focuses on creating modular housing units for farmers in China, responding to the current need for relocation options as rural communities face changes. These units draw inspiration from traditional front-yard homes, transforming them into stackable two-storey structures suitable for modern living. The overall concept emphasizes a balance between individual needs and community engagement, aiming to create cohesive living spaces that reflect both heritage and contemporary requirements.

Design Concept

Each housing unit functions as a separate volume that can be connected with others to form a larger residential area. The design includes two-toned facades and a variety of window patterns. This approach helps to set each unit apart, giving the community visual diversity and allowing for a personalized identity within the overall design.

Solid and Void Spaces

A key feature of the units is the thoughtful arrangement of solid structures alongside open outdoor areas. This arrangement echoes traditional Chinese homes, where the front yard plays a central role in social gatherings and daily activities. The created outdoor spaces enhance opportunities for residents to interact, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Adaptable Unit Configurations

Different options for aggregation allow for a range of housing types, including townhouses, low-rise apartments, and high-rise buildings. This flexibility caters to the needs of various family structures, accommodating both two-generation and three-generation households. Each configuration is designed to adapt to shifting family dynamics, making it suitable for longer-term use.

Functional Layouts and Amenities

Interior plans focus on practical living arrangements, ensuring spaces for cooking, dining, and relaxation are included. The design promotes interactions among residents while also providing necessary amenities like stairways and bathrooms to support daily life.

The careful arrangement of the units creates an engaging community space, balancing traditional practices with modern living needs. Attention to material choices contributes not only to aesthetics but also to the overall functionality and sustainability of the housing solution.

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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

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