The Colony
This colony of stacked octagons was judged to be the best of the geometric, beehive-inspired submissions. The form is an efficient way of minimising the amount of material used in construction, as DLA Design Group points out: ‘An octagon encloses approximately 20 percent additional floor space within the same perimeter as a traditional rectangle and receives more light.’
Unlike hexagons, octagons don’t tessellate, allowing courtyard spaces to be created between individual units and creating links from one cluster to the next, along with a strong sense of community.
The most impressive part of The Colony is the fantastically efficient use of interior space. An open plan living area is arranged around a central wet room enclosed by four storage walls. Constructed from SterlingOSB, each storage unit is dedicated to particular daily activities – sleeping, relaxing, eating and working – and includes folding furnitureand various other items to suit.