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Vertical Habitat Featuring Green Facades and Community Integration Through Escape Boards

Authors:
QIXIN LIANG, XIN YING, TONGTONG XIAO
Vertical Habitat Featuring Green Facades and Community Integration Through Escape Boards

Project in-detail

Incorporating vertical gardens and automated evacuation systems, the design revolutionizes urban living in Hong Kong by integrating nature and community-focused spaces within a multifaceted residential habitat.
5 key facts about this project
01
Vertical gardens are integrated at multiple levels to promote biodiversity and enhance air quality.
02
The project includes an automated escape board system for improved safety during emergencies.
03
Flexibility in unit designs accommodates various household sizes and lifestyles.
04
Underground ecological plazas provide communal green space and educational facilities.
05
Natural ventilation is optimized through strategically placed openings in the bent A-frame design.

## Overview

"Citizen in Wonderland" addresses the unique challenges of Hong Kong's dense urban environment, where high land use and soaring housing costs create a pressing need for innovative and sustainable design solutions. The initiative seeks to enhance urban livability by integrating green spaces and promoting community engagement within a vertical habitat framework. By leveraging the city's vertical expansion potential, the project reexamines the urban experience, providing an alternative to conventional living in high-density areas.

## Spatial Strategy and User Experience

The design incorporates a vertical forest concept, featuring green terraces at various levels to foster biodiversity and air purification. These terraces are strategically positioned to allow residents easy access to greenery, promoting physical and mental well-being. Public activity layers are interspersed throughout the structure, with communal spaces added every five floors to encourage social interaction and reduce feelings of isolation. This arrangement cultivates a sense of community among residents, providing spaces for diverse activities such as gardening and social gatherings.

## Materiality and Structural Features

The project's material palette emphasizes sustainability and resilience, utilizing reinforced concrete for structural integrity, along with innovative insulating materials to minimize energy waste and external noise. Green plants are integrated into the design through ecological walls, enhancing both aesthetics and functionality. Key structural innovations include a conveyor belt transport system facilitating efficient movement between units and a unique escape board mechanism for emergency situations, allowing safe exits without reliance on elevators. Together, these elements contribute to a functional living environment that aligns with contemporary urban needs while promoting environmental stewardship.

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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

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
100,000€ Prize / 2025
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Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
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Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #4
MICROHOME
MICROHOME
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
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Kinderspace
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