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Suspended Greenery and Transparent Facades Enhance Community Engagement Along the River

Authors:
Acosta Villanueva Wilmer Roger , Wai Yan Oo , Juan Pablo Lopez Isabella
Suspended Greenery and Transparent Facades Enhance Community Engagement Along the River

Project in-detail

Suspended greenery complements the transparent façade of this community space, strategically designed to foster engagement and reflection along the riverbank.
5 key facts about this project
01
Suspended gardens integrated throughout the structure enhance the sense of connection to nature.
02
A transparent façade maximizes natural light while providing unobstructed river views.
03
Lightweight wooden construction reduces the environmental footprint of the building.
04
Textile screens offer adjustable privacy and light control within communal spaces.
05
The bent A-frame design facilitates unique spatial experiences and structural efficiency.

## Project Overview
Located alongside the Tuman River, "A Sigh in the River" is designed to foster interaction between visitors and the natural environment, promoting moments of reflection and connection. The project thoughtfully integrates constructed spaces with their natural surroundings, creating a cohesive dialogue between architecture and landscape.

### Spatial Organization
The architectural layout features an open plan, divided into functional zones that cater to diverse user activities. A public interaction area serves as a communal hub for meditation, workshops, and leisure activities, encouraging social engagement. Private retreat spaces provide opportunities for solitary reflection or intimate gatherings, utilizing semi-transparent boundaries that maintain a visual connection to the outdoors while offering a sense of seclusion.

### Material Selection and Environmental Integration
The material palette is purposefully chosen to enhance the building's ethereal qualities and ensure sustainability. Transparent glass is used for the façade, allowing unobstructed views of the river and surrounding vegetation. Lightweight wood serves for the structural framework, reinforcing an organic atmosphere. Aluminum is employed in select design details, providing both structural support and visual appeal. Textile screens are integrated for privacy and light filtration, while stone pathways root the structure within the natural landscape. Collectively, these materials reflect a commitment to environmental harmony and draw inspiration from the cyclical nature of the river.

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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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