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Terroir-Focused Experience With Natural Finishes and Sensory Garden

Author:
Junichi Nakajo
Terroir-Focused Experience With Natural Finishes and Sensory Garden

Project in-detail

Grounded in the principles of terroir, the design incorporates natural finishes and a sensory garden to create an immersive wine tasting experience within a vineyard setting.
5 key facts about this project
01
The design incorporates a microclimate courtyard to enhance natural ventilation.
02
Guesthouses are oriented exclusively to maximize vineyard views.
03
A sensory garden is integrated to engage multiple senses during wine tasting.
04
Locally sourced, natural finishes create a cohesive aesthetic with the landscape.
05
The project implements principles of ecotones to enhance biodiversity.

The design integrates with its vineyard setting, featuring a parking lot, guesthouses, and a tasting house topped with a roof terrace. The concept focuses on connecting built structures to the natural landscape. By creating overlapping spaces, the design encourages interactions, allowing visitors to engage meaningfully with their surroundings.

Site Integration

The guesthouses are placed to face the vineyards, establishing a continuous relationship between the interior and the outside. This orientation not only allows for plenty of natural light but also offers expansive views of the vineyards, enriching the experiences of those who stay. The layout is intentional, enhancing the feeling of openness and accessibility for guests.

Courtyard Design

At the heart of the design is the courtyard, which functions as an important transitional space. It draws in breezes from the vineyard, promoting natural airflow. This feature reduces the need for mechanical heating or cooling systems, creating a comfortable environment. The courtyard invites quiet moments of reflection, letting guests immerse themselves in the pleasant microclimate crafted by sunlight and wind.

Outdoor Experience

Outdoor areas like the sensory garden and the viewing terrace are essential to the wine tasting experience. These spaces are thoughtfully positioned to create direct connections with the vineyard's natural beauty. They encourage visitors to engage with the environment, enhancing the overall experience of wine appreciation and adding depth to their interactions with the landscape.

Material Selection

Materials mentioned in the presentation reflect a focus on sustainability, emphasizing locally sourced natural finishes. This choice aligns the buildings with their geographical context. It also creates a balanced relationship between the guesthouses and the landscape. The natural materials blend well, enhancing the overall aesthetic and ensuring that the design feels connected to its setting.

The changing light across the surfaces of the guesthouses produces dynamic shadows and highlights, enhancing the sensory experience as visitors move through the spaces.

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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

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competition now

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