A house in northern Vietnam evokes central Italy

By Minh Trang February 17, 2022 | 04:45 am PT

On a large piece of land in Hoa Binh Province, a Tuscany-style house in a picturesque setting allows the homeowner to relive his time in Italy.

Typical features of Tuscan architecture include thick stone walls, marble decorations on the doors, tiled roofs, terracotta tiled floors, lush green gardens, and sturdy iron gates.

The house has been built on a 3,000-square-meter lakefront plot of land. Its architects have applied a two-block layout with an opening to the big lake.

Behind the entrance gate is a courtyard between the two blocks. This layout allows visitors to explore the building through corridors and walkways.

Inspired by the homeowner's memories of Italy, the garden surrounding the villa has coniferous trees reminiscent of cypress. Large trees such as sesame buds and maple trees are also placed at specific spots so that residents can sense the landscape's seasonal changes. The garden also has foxtail grass, laurel, rosemary and other shrubs adding diversity to the vegetation.

The courtyard and walkways in the campus are paved with gravel. Instead of pouring concrete, the design team applied a non-slip mesh ballast system with fravel fill on top, thus enhancing drainage capability, allowing the water to penetrate directly into the ground efficiently. The garden light system made with wood also emphasizes the sustainable development spirit of the villa, designers said.

Architecturally, the work is Tuscan in style but more modern in execution, as evidenced by the lines and materials used. The classic Mediterranean tile roof, for example, is devoid of decorative features. The paint compression technique by trowel helps the paint surface shine in the sunlight.

East and West elevations are arranged with verandas and rolling arches to reduce the impact of sunlight and cold wind from the lake into the living space.

Inside, the rooms are designed to maintain harmony with the surroundings. The common living areas are designed to accommodate large gatherings.

The furniture of the house blends Italian elements with European country style, giving the place a rustic yet sophisticated feel.

Creamy brown tones with materials like fired ceramic tiles, random-paved black stone, curling iron, and rough fabrics evoke the warmth of Italy in the kitchen.