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Stone Walls Embracing Natural Light in a Tea Production Retreat

Authors:
Rucha Valimbe, Yumian Zhou, Juliet Tremble
Stone Walls Embracing Natural Light in a Tea Production Retreat

Project in-detail

With its retained stone walls that harmonize with extensive glazing, the structure creates a bright and inviting atmosphere for tea production while accommodating guests in a serene setting.
5 key facts about this project
01
Retains original stone walls to preserve historical character.
02
Extensive glazing maximizes natural light for tea production.
03
Strategic layout separates public and private guest areas.
04
Service spaces are grouped to enhance operational efficiency.
05
Designed to connect visually with the surrounding landscape.

The Tea Maker's Guest House is designed to harmonize with its rural surroundings near Lake Bezdibene and the Ozolini Household. It serves two main functions: providing accommodation for visitors and supporting tea production. The overall design focuses on accessibility and interaction, creating a welcoming atmosphere for guests while meeting the operational needs of the tea-making process.

Architecture Concept

The guest house features a clear distinction between public and private areas. The ground floor includes communal spaces such as the kitchen and tea-making workshop, allowing for interaction among guests and staff. The upper level offers private rooms, ensuring that visitors have a quiet retreat. This arrangement promotes a natural flow through the building, making it easy to navigate.

Configuration of Service Spaces

Service areas, including bathrooms and the kitchen, are located close to each other and near the boiler room. This configuration enhances efficiency by reducing the energy needed for water transfer. By grouping these essential spaces, the design supports the daily operations of both hospitality and tea production, highlighting the practical considerations that inform the layout.

Preserving Contextual Heritage

The guest house incorporates existing stone walls, which play an important role in maintaining the site’s historical character. This choice preserves the integrity of the location while adding a rustic feel to the building. The design reflects traditional forms while adapting them to modern functions, creating a strong connection to the surrounding landscape and its cultural history.

Natural Light and Ventilation

Natural light is an essential feature in the design. The extensive use of glazing in the workshop and drying areas allows ample sunlight to enter the interior. This not only supports the tea production process but also enhances the overall atmosphere for guests. Operable glazing provides ventilation, allowing fresh air to flow freely and improving the indoor environment.

Attention to these design details helps create a functional and inviting space at the Tea Maker's Guest House. The combination of careful planning and thoughtful integration with the landscape contributes to a pleasant experience for visitors.

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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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