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Weightless Wooden Beams Enhancing Views in a Natural Landscape

Authors:
Kan Tong, Yifei Niu
Weightless Wooden Beams Enhancing Views in a Natural Landscape

Project in-detail

Elevated by weightless wooden beams, the observation tower offers expansive views of the surrounding fissures while blending seamlessly into the natural landscape and providing functional spaces for visitor engagement.
5 key facts about this project
01
Elevated wooden beams create a sense of weightlessness in the structure.
02
Multiple viewing platforms enhance visitor engagement with the landscape.
03
The design incorporates natural recovery of the surrounding road.
04
Functional areas include a café and seating for visitor comfort.
05
Strategic pathways guide exploration of the site's geological features.

The design is set in a landscape marked by fissures and caves, showcasing the powerful influence of nature. It serves as an observation point, inviting people to connect with the dramatic topography and vast openness of the area. Through its thoughtful design, the tower establishes a relationship between the constructed form and the natural environment, encouraging exploration and reflection.

Structural Composition

The main structure of the tower consists of large wooden beams that serve as the primary supports. These beams are complemented by lightweight wooden walls, giving a sensation of elevation and airy openness that contrasts with the solid geological formations nearby. As visitors ascend, they experience a gradual transition that enhances the feeling of being elevated within the landscape.

Spatial Organization

Pathways are integrated into the design to lead visitors toward the tower. These pathways create a guided experience, allowing people to discover the views of the landscape as they approach. The tower not only serves as a prominent visual element but also includes practical spaces such as an office for storage, seating areas, and a café. These features enrich the visitor experience and encourage interaction with the environment.

Sustainability Considerations

Attention to sustainability is apparent in the project’s intent to restore the surrounding road to a natural state. This choice shows a commitment to respecting the ecological balance of the site. It fosters a connection that goes beyond the immediate experience of the tower, extending into the broader landscape. Such considerations help visitors appreciate the natural environment while reducing the impacts of human presence.

Experiential Features

Viewing platforms are thoughtfully positioned within the tower to encourage deeper interaction with the unique geological features. These platforms provide opportunities for reflection and observation, allowing visitors to engage with the fascinating fissures while considering their relationship to the site. The experience is designed to merge function with a strong connection to nature.

Visitors find that the platforms are created to connect interior and exterior spaces, promoting an ongoing dialogue with the landscape at every level. Each level offers different perspectives, drawing attention to the intricate beauty of the geological formations surrounding the tower.

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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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