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Thatched Roof Community Spaces with Integrated Workshops and Central Garden

Authors:
Victoria Hatsenko, Shotaro Arai
Thatched Roof Community Spaces with Integrated Workshops and Central Garden

Project in-detail

A thatched roof supports a cross-plan layout that intertwines communal gardens and integrated workshops, creating a flexible living environment suited for two families.
5 key facts about this project
01
A thatched roof provides natural insulation and durability.
02
The cross-plan layout fosters community interaction while ensuring privacy.
03
Workshops are integrated within communal living areas for collaborative creativity.
04
A central garden serves as a shared outdoor space for both families.
05
Warm color palettes link the structure harmoniously to the surrounding landscape.

CONVERGENCE: A House for Creation is located in Latvia and focuses on creating spaces that accommodate both work and home activities. The design combines these functions within a clear structure, using a unique cross-like layout. This approach allows people to transition smoothly between professional and personal tasks, creating an environment that encourages interaction and respects individual privacy.

Spatial Organization

The layout divides the home into distinct areas for work and living activities. The north-south axis is dedicated to workspaces, while the east-west axis contains domestic areas. This clear separation helps define each area’s purpose while maintaining a connection across the home. The central garden serves as a communal space, which fosters interaction among the two families that occupy the residence.

Communal and Private Spaces

A key aspect of the design is the central garden, which acts as a shared area for both families. Easily accessible from common spaces like the living room and kitchen, this garden encourages socialization and a sense of community. At each end of the home, private reading rooms and bedrooms provide necessary solitude, ensuring family members have their own space while enjoying the benefits of communal living.

Integration of Workspaces

Workshops are integrated into the living areas, enhancing the project’s focus on blending home and work life. An art studio is positioned in the shared living room, promoting creativity and collaboration between residents. The design allows for flexible use of these spaces, catering to various artistic activities while ensuring that individual pursuits coexist comfortably within a community setting.

Materiality and Connection to Nature

The project incorporates elements of traditional Latvian architecture by featuring thatched roofs, which offer durability and natural insulation. The warm colors and textures of the exterior create a harmonious relationship with the surrounding landscape, allowing the home to fit into its environment. An exterior deck also connects indoor and outdoor spaces, encouraging daily interactions with nature and enhancing the overall experience of living in the house.

The design invites natural light into each room, creating a pleasant atmosphere and providing beautiful views. Each space is thoughtfully crafted to meet the needs of modern living while maintaining a strong connection to nature and the local culture.

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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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