Spirala Community House

The proposal embeds the community house in the terrain, seeking to minimise excavation and let architecture become part of the ground. The central gathering space is open and can be partially enclosed with manually operated glazing; enclosed rooms occupy the surrounding corners. Cave-inspired circulation connects these spaces with the landscape, allowing nature to remain present in everyday communal life.

Fractal geometry gives the building an organic order. At its centre, the main load-bearing column takes on the sculptural form of the Spiral of Life, bringing structural support, communal gathering and orientation into a single element. Architecture and material are understood as participants in a living whole: a spatial expression of integrity and connection.

Engineered paper tubes can form very strong, lightweight structural systems when designed for their intended loads. The proposal combines prefabricated paper-tube components with clay and straw finishes. Selected parts could be completed by community members, turning the making of the house into a shared undertaking. The project was developed as an unbuilt proposal for the 2021 Spirala Community Home competition.