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Repurposed Bricks and Timber Framing Enhance Communal Gathering Spaces

Author:
Thomas Honeyman
Repurposed Bricks and Timber Framing Enhance Communal Gathering Spaces

Project in-detail

Repurposed bricks and timber framing define a communal wine tasting facility that integrates energy-positive systems while preserving the surrounding natural landscape.
5 key facts about this project
01
Repurposed bricks from local demolitions create a connection to the site's history.
02
High-performance glazing maximizes natural light while enhancing thermal efficiency.
03
A net over the communal building captures rainwater for sustainable irrigation.
04
Timber framing is designed for quick assembly and low environmental impact.
05
Landscaped areas are specifically created to enhance local biodiversity.

CAPTURE is situated along Via Trav. di Via Ponte Pazienda, bringing together a set of guesthouses and a central communal wine tasting building. The design emphasizes communal interaction while ensuring privacy for guests. By engaging with the natural surroundings, the project promotes a connection between architecture and landscape, highlighting a commitment to sustainability and ecological awareness.

Design Concept

The heart of CAPTURE is the communal wine tasting building. It is strategically connected to five guesthouses, enhancing the sense of community among visitors. This layout allows guests to interact while also offering spaces for individual reflection. The organization of spaces encourages movement and accessibility, allowing residents to navigate between communal areas and the outdoors conveniently.

Sustainability Approach

CAPTURE integrates a range of energy systems that contribute to its energy-positive design. These systems include power generation and water collection, ensuring the site meets its energy needs independently. A notable feature is the net over the communal building, which captures rainwater and supports solar panels. This dual-purpose design enhances both energy efficiency and sustainability, underlining the project's overall ecological responsibility.

Materiality

The design pays special attention to material use, emphasizing recycled elements to reduce new resource consumption. Repurposed bricks from previous structures connect the buildings to their historical context. High-performance glazing allows natural light to fill the spaces. Solid timber framing provides essential structural support while enhancing aesthetic appeal. A blue palette of glazed and matte ceramic tiles adds both function and character to the overall design.

Ecological Integration

CAPTURE also prioritizes biodiversity by incorporating landscapes that support native plants and wildlife. The project seeks to compensate for any ecological disruptions caused during construction. This holistic approach ensures that the design nurtures the environment, rather than depleting it. The transition between indoor and outdoor spaces invites nature in, allowing guests to experience the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

The project's layout encourages a balance between built forms and open spaces, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The design engages visitors, offering a thoughtful relationship between the buildings and nature.

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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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