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Reflective Water Features and Charred Wood Facade Enhance Seasonal Living in a Sustainable Home

Reflective Water Features and Charred Wood Facade Enhance Seasonal Living in a Sustainable Home
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Charred wood facades and reflective water features create a seamless connection between interior and exterior spaces, designed to enhance the daily rhythms of gardening within a sustainable residential home.
5 key facts about this project
01
Charred wooden shingles provide enhanced durability and weather resistance while promoting fire safety.
02
Cross-laminated timber panels offer structural strength combined with ecological sustainability.
03
Reflective water features are integrated to enhance ambient light and connect interior spaces with the landscape.
04
A bent A-frame design maximizes both natural ventilation and aesthetic appeal, blending contemporary with traditional forms.
05
Dedicated workshop areas are seamlessly incorporated, supporting hands-on gardening and cultivation activities.

### Overview

Located within a thoughtfully integrated landscape, "The Gardener's Home" emphasizes the relationship between human habitation and the natural environment. The design captures the dynamic interplay of light and shadow, creating spaces that transition in character throughout the day based on solar exposure. Each area of the residence is tailored to support the activities of a gardener, promoting both functionality and a strong connection to the outdoor surroundings.

### Spatial Dynamics

The architectural layout is organized into distinct areas reflecting the varied functions required for daily living and gardening activities. The private level features interconnected yet secluded spaces such as living areas and bedrooms, ensuring a balance between communal interaction and individual privacy. At the entry level, practical workshop spaces are integrated alongside welcoming areas, reinforcing the dual role of the home as both a personal sanctuary and a point of community engagement.

### Materiality and Design Elements

The material palette is deliberately chosen to complement the surrounding landscape while enhancing the design's intent. Predominant use of wood in structural framing and wall panels introduces warmth, while expansive glass surfaces foster transparency and an abundance of natural light. Durable metal elements are incorporated for structural support, providing a contrast that balances the organic materials. Reflective water features further enhance the thematic focus on light, establishing an environment where the dynamics of natural illumination can be experienced throughout the day. Additionally, the design scales elements to human proportions, creating intimate spaces that encourage occupant comfort and connection to nature.

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MICROHOME
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100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
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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

Open architecture competitions

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    Experimental competitions with the focus on pushing the boundaries of creativity

Recurring architecture competitions

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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Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 2 October 2025
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Terminally ill

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Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 9 October 2025
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Take a step and make a statement!

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Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Early bird registration deadline 15 October 2025
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Design a kindergarten of tomorrow

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Prize Monetary award
Eligibility Open to all
Advance registration deadline 16 October 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize

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Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 2025
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Final registration deadline 13 November 2025
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Final registration deadline 27 November 2025
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Final registration deadline 27 November 2025

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