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Translucent Facades and Wavy Roofs Enhance Communal Living Through Sustainable Timber Solutions

Authors:
ELIS VATHI, ANI CUEDARI, LORENXA CAKULI, FATJON MOLLA
Translucent Facades and Wavy Roofs Enhance Communal Living Through Sustainable Timber Solutions

Project in-detail

With a wavy roof design and translucent facades, the structure employs sustainable timber materials to create a communal living space focused on health and social interaction.
5 key facts about this project
01
Utilizes translucent facades to maximize natural light while maintaining privacy.
02
Incorporates a wavy roof structure that promotes rainwater runoff and enhances aesthetic flow.
03
Features integrated living walls to improve air quality and connect residents with nature.
04
Constructed with charred wooden shingles to increase durability and reduce maintenance.
05
Designed with flexible communal spaces to adapt to various social functions and activities.

## Overview

Located in Krakow, Poland, the project addresses significant challenges related to air pollution and a scarcity of communal spaces. The design's intent centers on fostering a sense of shared awareness and engagement with environmental issues, particularly air quality. By creating a dynamic living environment, the proposal encourages social interaction and emphasizes the importance of community connectivity amidst urban complexities.

### Material Selection and Sustainability

The project utilizes a carefully curated selection of materials that enhance its conceptual framework. Translucent materials allow natural light to penetrate while maintaining privacy, symbolizing transparency in community engagement. Reflective surfaces are employed to unify the architecture with its natural surroundings, promoting an interactive experience for users. A commitment to sustainability is evident through the use of materials that prioritize energy absorption and green features such as integrated planters and living walls, which contribute to improved indoor air quality.

### Spatial Organization and Functional Zoning

The architectural layout is thoughtfully designed to accommodate diverse user needs. Central spaces, including a kitchen and living room, facilitate interaction and communal cooking. A dedicated community room serves as a gathering point for group activities, while clinical and emotional rooms provide private areas for therapeutic engagements and mindfulness practices, respectively. This spatial organization promotes exploration and social cohesion, with pathways that guide users through a range of atmospheres marked by variations in light and materiality.

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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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Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
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