MICROHOME competition winners showcase off-grid modular designs

The winners of the 2024/25 MICROHOME Kingspan Edition have been announced. The competition, presented by Buildner, in collaboration with building materials manufacturer Kingspan, invited participants to imagine an off-grid, modular home for a hypothetical young couple. Dwellings were required to be compact, with a total floor area not exceeding roughly 269 square feet.

The challenge encouraged innovative thinking in spatial organization, distinctive aesthetics, and the use of state-of-the-art technology and materials. Additionally, participants were asked to focus on key design considerations, such as community integration, sustainability and environmental impact, affordability and accessibility, adaptability and scalability, and educational and social awareness.

The brief sought to explore ideas that address the intensifying global housing crisis, which has raised the need for affordable, sustainable, and small-scale housing solutions.

Look below to learn about the winning projects.

Kingspan Award Winner: FLOATERRA
Designers: Yi Yan, Andres Felipe Pineda (United States)

Jury comments: "Floaterra is a modular, climate-adaptive microhome system designed for resilience in the face of environmental instability. It integrates prefabricated, high-performance materials with systems for autonomous water collection, renewable energy generation, and hydroponic food production. Adaptable walls, retractable furniture, and passive climate strategies enable flexible spatial configurations and efficient energy use. Capable of floating or terrestrial installation, Floaterra supports self-sufficient living across varied landscapes, responding to sea level rise and climate migration. The modular design emphasizes rapid assembly, scalability, and minimal environmental impact, providing a dynamic model for future housing in vulnerable regions." Read the team's interview here.

1st Prize Winner: Monsoon Pontoon
Designer: Thomas William Ewing (United Kingdom)

Jury comments: "Monsoon Pontoon is a flood-resilient microhome designed for the extreme monsoon conditions of Bangladesh. It incorporates an off-grid, amphibious structure that adapts to rising water levels. Built with locally sourced, sustainable materials like bamboo and recycled plastics, the design draws from traditional flood mitigation strategies, such as mound houses and stilt structures. Modular in nature, the home can evolve over time to meet changing needs. Environmental systems including rainwater harvesting, solar energy, and wastewater filtration are integrated. The flexible canopy system enhances passive cooling and ventilation, supporting comfortable living in humid climates while ensuring community resilience during seasonal floods." Read the team's interview here.

2nd Prize Winner: Microhome ‘Jenga’: Re-inhabit Ghost Structures
Designer: Yi Yang Chai (Malaysia)

Jury comments: "Microhome 'Jenga' proposes a modular retrofit strategy for abandoned high-rise structures in "ghost cities," transforming them into self-sustaining vertical neighborhoods. The design utilizes prefabricated microhome modules built with low-carbon, renewable materials, emphasizing modularity, lightweight construction, and adaptability. Stacked into customizable configurations, the modules integrate with reused building cores, incorporating communal gardens, renewable energy, water recycling systems, and local food production. The project aims to address affordable housing shortages and sustainability challenges while minimizing embodied carbon. It offers a scalable model for urban regeneration, using existing infrastructure to create resilient, compact communities adapted to future environmental and social needs." Read the team's interview here.

3rd Prize Winner: From The Ashes
Designers: Jeremy Minh An Nguyên, Cecilia Loretta Egidi, Ricardo Solar Lezama, Jonathan Cole Mcdonell (United States)

Jury comments: "This project addresses wildfire recovery by combining off-grid sustainability strategies with modular construction and passive house principles. Built from cross-laminated timber with charred wood cladding for fire resistance, the design integrates water harvesting, solar energy systems, and biogenic septic treatment. Flexible shutter elements extend living spaces outdoors, while maintaining resilience against environmental risks. The proposal supports community rebuilding through clustered site planning that fosters local connections and economic stability. Aimed at urban infill redevelopment, the project offers a scalable, low-carbon housing solution that emphasizes accessibility, energy independence, and protection from future disasters." Read the team's interview here.

Student Award: First Aid Kit
Designers: łukasz Michał Danilczuk, Ewa Helena Maniak, and Karolina Maria Rorat of Warsaw University of Technology (Poland)

Jury comments: "First Aid Kit is a modular microhome system designed for rapid deployment in response to displacement crises. Based on prefabrication and passive house principles, the system adapts to varied climates through adjustable construction elements such as wall thickness and shading devices. Units can operate independently or aggregate into larger structures around communal spaces, supporting long-term integration and social resilience. Lightweight prefabricated modules minimize embodied carbon and can be easily transported, assembled, and later disassembled for reuse. The project proposes a flexible, scalable housing model that addresses both immediate shelter needs and sustainable urban redevelopment." Read the team's interview here.

Sustainability Award: Taking The Country’s Side
Designers: Hubert Pierre Olivier Charlaix, Emmanuel Pierre Hamelin, Benjamin Florent Philippe Vitry (France)

Jury comments: "This project proposes small-scale housing integrated with agricultural production on the outskirts of Avignon. Prefabricated units constructed with lightweight timber frames and no cement are assembled on-site, incorporating autonomous systems for water collection, greywater treatment, solar energy, and composting. The layout fosters community resilience through cooperative living structures and shared food production, supporting local markets and reducing dependence on fossil-fuel-based agriculture. Designed for farming couples, the model emphasizes land stewardship, modular scalability, and environmental adaptation, positioning microhomes as active agents in regional food networks and sustainable urban expansion strategies." Read the team's interview here.