VNTB HOUSE

Specifications | Khái quát
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Location

urban area

Program

row house

Design Year

2013

Status

conceptual

Site Area

4.5x23 (m)

Design Firm

MODS

- Architect

N Quang Dau

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It needs to be explained a little the name “VNTB House” of this project, which is abbreviated from Vietnamese Tube House; the client who lives in Vietnam, owns a narrow site but long, has requested the architect for design a “tube house”. This is a house type that nowadays many are built commonly in urban areas, of our tropical country. Its original architecture type is Row House to define a house which is of a row of houses that are joined together on each side. However, Vietnamese call them “tube house” due to the big difference between width and length. These tropical houses therefore are not easy to get natural light for their internal spaces because they are long but often have just two facades which are the front and the back. Consequently, if the architect and the owner do not try to solve those influenced points, the house space will be not only dark but also cramped and hot. This project, there are TWO PRIMARY POINTS that the designer wants to present which are the CENTRAL VOID and the DOUBLE-SKIN FACADE.

The central void proves its important role in a “tube house” by getting light and ventilation for interior space; furthermore, it always enables a patio at its ground where peope can organize something. On the graphical layouts, this area is presented as a small garden; however, the architect and the owners actually have minded several options for its function. It could be either an extended dining area or a small health practice place if the owners wants to add more sports equipments whereas the exercise room on the 3rd floor is quite small to be a professional room.

The second element of this concept, the double-skin facades, result a good achievement that is not so new but probably efficient for buildings in tropical regions which is preventing the direct sunlight and reducing the heat. There are many appropriate options for the double-skin but the important thing is that it must stop the direct affection to the windows or the second wall. In many cases, people see the double-skin facades are not much open, and this house is one typical example. This can be easily understood because the street is not large and the row houses at the opposite side are not always perfect landscapes.

Besides those two main factors that are described just now, there are several points more that contribute to the house which need to be recognized here: at first, no further explanation is needed, a “tube house” is likely to just have limited usable space, yet this house reserves a small front yard so people can plant several trees as well as reduce the dusts, even much or just a little, is able to go inside from the streets. Along with that, there are also two terraces on the 3rd floor, possibly adding smaller trees or plants in pots. About rooms, there is a small note for the parents bedroom to avoid the misunderstanding. We designed the house in 2013 and the area of the parents bedroom was appropriate with the requirement of Vienamese in that time. Many couples have accepted a bedroom with a moderate area, basic amentities . When we revised the project in 2020, we have seen that many Vietnamese now trend to live in a much bigger bedrooms, just like the Western standard. In this case, if the clients request the architects for a bigger bedroom, the design can be absolutely adjusted to match the new requirement.