Get inspired!

17,725 architecture projects

Learn from past Buildner architecture competition participants through our extensive project library, curated over more than 15 years!

Vertical Structure Utilizing Double-Layered Façade for Efficient Healthcare Access

Author:
Svetlana Kizilova
Vertical Structure Utilizing Double-Layered Façade for Efficient Healthcare Access

Project in-detail

A double-layered façade optimizes natural ventilation while sky gardens provide designated green spaces for patients, medical staff, and researchers in a vertical structure designed to enhance healthcare delivery in a densely populated urban environment.
5 key facts about this project
01
Double-layered façade enhances natural ventilation and energy efficiency.
02
Sky gardens allocated for patients, staff, and researchers prevent contamination.
03
Located near the Pinheiros River for rapid city access.
04
Open floor plan allows flexible room configurations for healthcare needs.
05
Recreational modules offer views of the surrounding urban landscape.

COVISION Hospital is located in São Paulo, Brazil, and it serves as a response to the healthcare challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The design implements a vertical hospital model that optimizes space in a densely populated urban area. This approach allows for quick access to medical services, vital for emergency care situations. The overall design emphasizes functionality while responding to the urgent healthcare needs of the community.

Design Concept

The design features a double-layered façade system that enhances ventilation and energy efficiency. Air flows between the layers of the façade, bringing fresh air into the hospital rooms. This system improves indoor air quality and aligns with sustainable building practices, which are essential in modern healthcare facilities. The emphasis on natural ventilation creates a more comfortable environment for patients and staff alike.



Sky Gardens

Sky gardens are a key component of the design. These gardens are placed throughout the building, according to careful studies of sunlight and wind patterns. Each garden supports different user groups—patients, medical staff, and researchers—helping to maintain hygiene while providing outdoor spaces for relaxation. They contribute essential greenery to the environment and enhance well-being for everyone who uses the hospital.



Recreational Modules

Recreational modules appear on the northern façade, designed to complement the outer shell of the building. These modules provide views of the surrounding area, including the notable Ponte Estaiada bridge. By integrating these spaces, the design creates a welcoming atmosphere that encourages connection with nature and the urban landscape. This approach highlights the importance of visual engagement within healthcare settings.



Open Floor Plan

An open floor plan allows for flexibility in the arrangement of hospital rooms. This layout supports quick adjustments based on changing healthcare needs, ensuring the hospital can adapt over time. This design promotes efficiency in operations while providing a supportive environment for patients and medical staff.



Overall, COVISION Hospital combines multiple thoughtful elements to create a functional healthcare space. The design focuses on comfort, accessibility, and connection to both nature and the city, addressing the immediate needs of the community while also considering long-term well-being.

Noticed a mistake?
Highlight the text and click on
Noticed a mistake

MICROHOME 10: Celebrating Small-Scale Living with €100,000 Prize Fund and Kingspan’s Innovation

`
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
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Denver Affordable Housing Challenge
Affordable Housing Series 19th Edition
The Architect's 
Chair
The Architect's Chair
Take a seat and make a statement! Edition #4
MICROHOME
MICROHOME
100,000 € Prize Fund / Kingpsan Edition #10
Kinderspace
Kinderspace
Architecture for Children’s Development #3
To view this project in detail,
please log in with your
Architects’ Network Plus account.
Subscription instantly unlocks all the architecture projects plus other member-only benefits:
  • Access the 17,725 Concept Library
  • Professional tools including file transfer, email, portfolio management, and more
Register now
Already a member? Log in

This website uses cookies to improve user experience and gather usage statistics.

More information is available in our Privacy & Cookie policy