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Volcanic Stone Integration with Natural Wood Elements for Community Engagement

Authors:
Yoan Baran, Léo Perret
Volcanic Stone Integration with Natural Wood Elements for Community Engagement

Project in-detail

Incorporating volcanic stone and wooden beams, the structure enhances its setting while fostering communal interaction and contemplation.
5 key facts about this project
01
Incorporates locally sourced volcanic stone for structural elements.
02
Features a belvedere roof that maximizes panoramic views of the landscape.
03
Includes community bleachers to facilitate social gatherings and events.
04
Utilizes a beams system that allows for flexible interior spatial configurations.
05
Strategically positions windows to enhance natural light and frame key views.

Wind Up to Meet serves as a place for contemplation and interaction, located in an area with views of a volcano. The design connects human experience with the natural environment, creating spaces that invite both solitude and social engagement. By combining different types of spaces, the design offers a variety of atmospheres that encourage visitors to reflect and interact with one another.

Architectural Concept

The concept emphasizes the relationship between various scales of space. The layout guides users from private areas to communal zones, allowing for heightened awareness of the site. This organization leads visitors to engage with both the landscape and the cultural elements present, navigating a balance between moments of quiet and opportunities for community interaction.

Materials and Construction

The structure employs a practical construction system that shapes materials relevant to the site. This approach allows for large openings toward the volcano, particularly from areas like the coffee shop room. As a result, natural light fills the interior, inviting the outdoor landscape inside. Notable materials include wooden beams that add warmth, as well as concrete posts that incorporate volcanic stone, linking the structure to its geographic context.

Spatial Dynamics

The building features guardrails and a belvedere roof that enhance safety while providing sweeping views of the surrounding areas. Windows are thoughtfully placed, drawing in natural light and framing important sightlines. The beams system ensures stability and supports various interior arrangements suited for different activities, fulfilling the design's goals.

Community Engagement

Bleachers within the design encourage gatherings and promote social interaction among visitors. The trapezoidal bases used in the structure offer both support and add to the overall visual language of the site. These elements help create a space that serves both individual reflection and collective engagement, deeply connected to the environment.

Attention to detail is reflected in the use of surface-mounted brass joinery. This craftsmanship enhances the overall aesthetic of the design and showcases quality in every aspect. Each element contributes to an experience that remains focused on the balance between built space and the natural world.

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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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