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Recycled Wood Menhir Offering Tranquility in Urban Isolation

Authors:
Lucie Di capua, Mariateresa Giammetti, Angela Girardo
Recycled Wood Menhir Offering Tranquility in Urban Isolation

Project in-detail

Crafted from recycled wood, a purple-black menhir offers a meditative sanctuary within the urban landscape of Tokyo, designed to promote isolation and personal reflection.
5 key facts about this project
01
Crafted to resemble a menhir, the cabin features a solid purple-black exterior.
02
Interior light waves simulate gravitational waves, enhancing the meditative experience.
03
A small narthex at the entrance provides a transitional space for users.
04
The design emphasizes acoustic elements that reproduce cosmic sounds.
05
Made entirely from warm recycled wood, promoting sustainability in urban design.

The meditation cabin is designed as a menhir, a purple-black monolith standing amidst the busy streets of Tokyo's business district. It provides a peaceful space for meditation and reflection, addressing the need for solitude in a bustling environment. As a Spiritual Landmark, the design contrasts a solid exterior with a warm and inviting interior, creating a refuge for those seeking to escape the city's fast pace.

Form and Function

The cabin's exterior presents a harsh profile that contrasts with its inviting interior. This duality helps define its purpose as a space for introspection. Visitors can step away from the noise of the city. The cabin's strategic location makes it a significant presence, encouraging people to seek solace and calm.

Interior Experience

Inside, the cabin features a grid made from warm recycled wood, which creates a welcoming atmosphere for meditation. The design isolates those who enter from the sights and sounds of the outside world. A small narthex at the entrance serves as a transition space, allowing visitors to mentally shift from the busy environment to the quietness within. This thoughtful design detail helps prepare individuals for a focused experience.

Light and Sound Dynamics

Light is a key element of the cabin's interior. Dynamic light waves simulate gravitational waves, enhancing the connection between users and the universe. These waves gradually change in shape and intensity, affecting how time is perceived while inside. This slow and deliberate use of light encourages users to let go of the city’s hurried pace and embrace a more mindful state.

Immersive Atmosphere

The experience inside the cabin is further enriched by sound. It reproduces deep tones that evoke cosmic elements, complementing the effects of light. This blend of sensory experiences creates an environment conducive to mindfulness and reflection.

In this space, light and sound come together, where gentle waves of illumination flow with calming echoes, fostering a tranquil setting for personal exploration and meditation.

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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
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