The two-story, 280-square-meter house in the northern province’s Van Lam District, belongs to a septuagenarian couple.
Every weekend, the owners' children and grandchildren who live and work in Hanoi return to the village for family gatherings. The owners wanted to have a plush living space in harmony with the picturesque remote village's natural surroundings.
A team of architects took the client's requests into account and designed a northern-style living space. The home’s greenery blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, helping its inhabitants connect with nature.
The building is split into two blocks. Lai Chau black stone tiles, chosen for their understated beauty and sense of antiquity, cover the roof, as though part of a forest canopy. This natural stone is also resistant to heat and cold, and it does not crack or chip in bad weather.
The front entryway is designed to let visitors explore the entire property's landscape. This path leads to a large main hall space with a long veranda, recreating the most traditional of northern house designs.
The steep slope of the roof is typical of northern architecture and serves to drain rainwater and prevent it from leaking into the house.
The roof is also moved away from the base of the wall. This provides shade and keeps rain from getting on the wooden poles and walls that make up the enclosure. This layout not only increases the amount of usable space, but it also offers a porch that is shielded from the sun.
The architect used many canopies to make natural sunshades that look like green curtains. This keeps the house cool and cuts down on glare from the light-colored walls around the house.
Wooden window systems not only block the harmful effects of direct sunlight, but they also let air in, keeping the house cool at all times.
The main functional space is divided into two distinct blocks: the shared living area and the private sleeping quarters.
A courtyard, connected by halls and lengthy verandas, separates these two areas. The use of this as a design element is common in northern homes.
Before each functional space, buffers are set up to create a smooth transition between spaces and give people the privacy they need.
The living room's raised ceiling serves to both promote airflow and as a conduit to the upstairs child bedroom (representing a bird's nest). Meanwhile, a glass wall brings inhabitants closer to the outdoor space.
The garden separates the master bedroom block from the rest of the house and lets light and breezes into the building. Large glass walls are used in the garden's design at strategic points to continue blurring the inside-outside boundaries even further.
The living area and kitchen share an open space, letting in natural light and cool air from the garden.
Using a variety of rural materials like Lai Chau black stone tiles, wood, and other natural elements provides the property with a laid-back and rustic vibe.
The area that connects the two main blocks is a wonderful spot for the whole family to unwind and take it easy. Homeowners can cast their gaze forward to a vast lake surrounded by calming green vegetation. In this area, people can look and see a large lake surrounded by plants that are eye-catching shades of green.
The house took 1.5 years to design and construct. The cost was not disclosed by the owners.
