For the Kingspan Micro Home Competition in 2024, it was meant to be designed in mind for researchers. The interior balances functionality and comfort with flexible spaces for fieldwork analysis and day-to-day living. Cross ventilation from its proximity to the shoreline keeps the micro home naturally cooled, while carefully placed openings frame views of the eastern and western bays, reminding the inhabitants of the island’s unique topography and their connection to the landscape. This micro home is more than shelter—it’s a tool for stewardship, learning, and deep ecological presence.
Maria Island, known for its crescent-shaped bays, dual-coast access, and rich biodiversity, serves as the context for this microhome’s design. Situated strategically in a natural clearing within the coastal forest, the home uses its site advantage to maximize solar gain and wind exposure, ensuring a self-sustaining energy system through roof-mounted solar panels and discreet wind turbines oriented toward prevailing breezes from both shores.
First Floor Plan
Loft Floor Plan
Rooted in the raw beauty of Maria Island’s diverse coastal and geological landscape, this microhome is a sustainable refuge for a marine biologist and geologist couple studying the island’s natural systems. Designed to be both responsive and respectful to its environment, the home is nestled in a forest clearing near Riedle Beach, where it captures sunlight and sea breeze to power itself and support an off-grid, low-impact lifestyle.
Interior Renderings
Section
Materially and visually, the home is grounded in place. Locally sourced Tasmanian wood is used in cladding and structure, allowing the form to blend into its wooded surroundings and minimizing disruption to nearby wildlife habitats.