The site is located in a new residential area of Ho Chi Minh City, with a park on its northern side. VTN Architects focused on designing a house which becomes an extension of its environment by integrating the green of the park into the interior space of the house.
A large void was created by cutting the volume through the three floors, in the diagonal direction of the section. On the ground floor, the void serves as living room, open to the park; on the top floor as a green covered family room. Louvres provide shadow on the top floor. The void incorporates both circulation elements and natural elements like plants and trees, providing the private rooms with additional natural light. It gives a feeling of continuity of the park, to all three floors of the building. The house aims to create an environment similar to a forest, despite being indoors.
Contradictory to the common spaces, private rooms such as bedrooms are placed in solid volumes. Planting trees in the opening of these volumes blocks direct sunlight, cools the wind and brightens up the interior space with green. The model becomes a precedent for housing in tropical climates.
Bio Founded in 2006, Vo Trong Nghia Architects (VTN Architects) is a leading architectural practice in Vietnam with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. International architects, engineers and staff work closely on cultural, residential and commercial projects worldwide.
By experimenting with light, wind and water, and by using natural and local materials, VTN employs a contemporary design vocabulary to explore new ways to create green architecture for the 21st century, whilst maintaining the essence of Asian architectural expression.
