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Reflective Pools and Transparent Facades Enhance Community Engagement in Sustainable Building

Authors:
Aldo Cappa Marchello, Giacomo Baldini
Reflective Pools and Transparent Facades Enhance Community Engagement in Sustainable Building

Project in-detail

A reflective pool complements the transparent facade of this sustainable cultural center, designed to facilitate community engagement through versatile event spaces and functional meeting areas.
5 key facts about this project
01
A reflective pool creates an interactive landscape that enhances the building's connection to the environment.
02
The use of cross-laminated timber panels ensures structural efficiency while reducing carbon footprint.
03
Charred wooden shingles provide both aesthetic appeal and improved durability against weather conditions.
04
The bent A-frame design maximizes interior space flexibility while maintaining visual prominence.
05
Strategically placed glass façades facilitate natural light and promote transparency throughout the structure.

### Project Overview
Located in Riga, Latvia, near Kipsala Beach, the proposed cultural and exhibition center aims to enhance urban interaction through a modern architectural approach. The design prioritizes functionality while considering its contextual relevance within the surrounding landscape, positioning the center as a space that fosters public engagement.

### Spatial Organization
The layout consists of several interconnected components. A large central auditorium, which can be subdivided into four smaller sections, is designed to accommodate a range of events, with seating for 500 in two auditoriums and 1,000 in the larger space. Adjacent to the auditorium, multiple conference rooms provide facilities for smaller discussions and meetings, facilitating diverse uses. The foyer serves as the primary circulatory space, enhancing connectivity among the auditorium, conference rooms, and main entrance, thereby promoting user interaction.

### Materiality and Sustainability
The material selection emphasizes transparency and durability, featuring a facade and interior partitions predominantly made from glass, allowing natural light to permeate the interior spaces. Concrete serves as a primary structural element, ensuring stability, while steel components contribute to a contemporary aesthetic. Reflective surfaces, potentially including polished stone or metal, are incorporated to create dynamic visual effects by mirroring the surrounding environment. A large reflecting pool is a focal point of the design, enriching the aesthetic experience while also playing a role in environmental sustainability by facilitating natural cooling and minimizing energy use through enhanced daylighting strategies.

### Unique Features
The design reflects a thoughtful response to its natural site conditions, utilizing water features to establish a tranquil atmosphere amidst the urban setting. Three vertical towers emerge above the main structure, enhancing visibility and serving as recognizable landmarks within the local skyline. Attention to accessibility is evident, with designated pathways and entrances that ensure equitable access to the site, further reinforcing the project's commitment to inclusivity and community engagement.

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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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