A minimalist house turns a corner in northern Vietnam

By Thai Binh    May 16, 2019 | 12:20 am PT
A street corner in Hai Duong glows like a lantern, courtesy the unique walls of a architecturally-striking minimalist house.
A house glows up like lantern in northern Vietnam

Kai House has been built on a 72 square meter area at a street intersection in Hai Duong Town in the northern province of the same name. The construction has a porous outer of bricks. Designed by architect Vu Van Khiem for his family, it was completed in 2017.

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With a unique raw brick wall, plain grey walls and wooden interiors, the house caught the attention of Archdaily, one of the world's leading architecture sites.

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Khiem has set aside one third of the area for a garden and yard. The plants in the house curtain it from the street, reducing the invasion of dirt and noise and increasing the inmates’ privacy.

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Thanks to a double layer of protection, which includes the brick wall and the "plant wall," the house can afford big windows and doors to facilitate ventilation. When only natural light is needed and not the outside wind, the glass doors will be closed.

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The first floor has an area of 46 square meters. It is a connected space consisting of a living room, a dining room and an L-shaped kitchen.

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The house's interior is mainly wooden, which goes well with the rustic vibe of the unpainted brick wall, the raw concrete floors and ceilings.

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A closet is designed under the stairs to save space.

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The second floor has been expanded to an area of 57 square meters, significantly larger than the first floor. It has a bedroom, a study room and a shared space for the family.

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When the children grow up, the parents plan to change the study room and the shared room into their bedrooms.

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The house follows the modern minimalist architectural style, it has little furniture and uses a lot of raw materials. This has enabled the architect to keep building costs down to just VND800 million ($34,200).

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The 30 square meter third floor has a worship area and a laundry area.

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After 2 years, Khiem says he feels very comfortable, since the house is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. His children also enjoy the house as they have lots of space to play around.

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First floor blueprint.

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Second floor blueprint.

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Third floor blue print.

Photos by Trieu Chien 

 
 
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