The design of this 190 square-meter house in Duc Chanh Commune is a blend of contemporary and traditional architecture. The building has a minimalistic modern tropical architecture style, yet it exudes an old-fashioned atmosphere with its sloping tile roofs, front and back yards paved with baked bricks, and brick walls. The multi-level roof system is visible at varying heights, creating vertical diversity and connectivity within the house.
According to architect Le Viet Hoi, when viewed from above the house’s multi-level roof system is visible at varying heights.
"The purpose is to create a vertical diversity, connectivity, and in house spatial division," he said.
The functional blocks are nested with varying volumes and heights to avoid the monotony found in conventional designs. The layout of the building's volume creates a sense of connectivity and privacy in the living spaces, while evenly distributing light and ventilation throughout the house. The front porch is an extension of the interior space, which expands and connects the private living space with the outside. It also blocks the sun from shining directly into the house and ensures that water does not splash inside during the rainy season.
The worship room at the center of the house easily connects to other spaces and enhances the feeling of coziness. It recreates the features of the architecture of Hue imperial houses with a modern language, bringing solemnity and privacy to the worship room.
The living room, worship room, and kitchen are located under a dual-pitched roof with the lowest height of 2.1 meters, which is a common ratio in traditional rural houses. The slope of the roof of this space is 28 degrees, following the traditional slope to ensure the drainage of large amounts of water in the central region known for its heavy rainfall.
The family spends most of their time on the ground floor, which has a living space that is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, incorporating a nostalgic touch of traditional living into the contemporary architectural space. The house's design provides a harmonious division and diverse spaces and avoids the monotony found in conventional designs. It also shows the distinctive features of local tropical architecture.
Skylights are a key feature of the house's design. They divide functional areas, increase natural contact, and provide lighting and ventilation. Additionally, they are used as spaces to nurture green plants below. Thanks to the special design, the house enjoys natural sunlight and a breeze throughout the day, penetrating all the function rooms.
The dining area has a roof height of 7 meters, which is a common ratio in Indochinese-style villas. This design creates a spacious and cool atmosphere that connects the two bedrooms on the upper floor. Therefore, all the activities of the bedroom are connected to the ground floor, increasing interaction and creating coziness.
The roof uses earthen tiles which are lighter than cement ones. The roof support system is a box steel system with a small cross-section, and with a higher aesthetic. It is also less expensive than a wood support system.
The functional rooms are divided by different heights of the roof instead of solid walls, creating a feeling of spaciousness and openness, while ensuring a good circulation of air and light.
Straight from the roof down to the dining area, there is a 200 mm-wide skylight to enhance natural light for the space below. At different times of the day, the intensity of the skylight varies, allowing the homeowner to feel the change in time through the reflected sunlight.
Light is exploited in various ways, from inner courtyards and light-capturing glass, windows, to bring continuity between the interior and exterior spaces.
In addition to the straight skylight above the pond located between the worship room and living room, there is another skylight next to the kitchen. This space is designed as a small garden for growing herbs. The skylight also creates a breezy atmosphere indoors and connects humans with nature.
