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Rooftop Track and Open Living Spaces in Natural Material Housing Complex

Author:
Jiří Gerö
Rooftop Track and Open Living Spaces in Natural Material Housing Complex

Project in-detail

A rooftop track enhances the elevated living experience of a housing complex built with natural materials, prioritizing communal gardens and flexible, open spaces for its residents.
5 key facts about this project
01
Rooftop track provides recreational space without compromising land use.
02
Elevated first floor enhances community interaction through open, passable design.
03
Three-storey apartments arranged in linear groups promote social connectivity.
04
Communal gardens strategically placed between residences foster collaboration.
05
Natural materials are used to align with sustainable living principles.

The housing complex located in Vancouver's development areas blends with the surrounding forest while allowing easy access to the metropolitan center, situated about 30-60 minutes away. The design focuses on modularity and flexibility, enabling it to adapt to different building plots. This approach allows for the addition of more blocks in response to the community’s needs, creating a livable environment that can grow over time.

Design and Structure

The structure is raised on columns, creating an open first floor that residents can pass through. This design supports interaction while keeping outdoor areas open for recreational use. The complex includes sports facilities and a track on the roof, which maximizing land usage for healthy activities without taking up additional space.

Community Focus

The design emphasizes communal living, offering a mix of small apartments, each equipped with balconies to encourage outdoor engagement. The layout consists of three-storey apartments arranged in groups, all connected by a ground floor podium that also serves as parking. This avoids the need for costly underground garages and promotes easy access to community spaces. Communal gardens and entrances further enhance social connections among residents.

Sustainability Integration

The housing complex incorporates sustainable design elements to reduce ecological impacts. The use of natural materials and green roofs demonstrates a commitment to promoting a healthy living environment. These features align with modern urban living expectations while being mindful of energy efficiency.

The combination of open areas and communal spaces fosters a sense of belonging, allowing residents to enjoy interactions with neighbors while also having private spaces that meet individual needs. With its focus on blending shared and personal living experiences, the design creates a community environment grounded in practicality.

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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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