House K
This is a concrete residence we designed and built in Nghe An—a province in Central Vietnam. The region faces a harsh climate: scorching summers driven by westerly winds from Laos, dry and cold winters, and frequent exposure to heavy rains, storms, and floods. Yet, the local people are hardworking, resilient, and deeply attached to both their homeland and nature. Traditional homes in this region often feature wide eaves for sun protection and are surrounded by fruit gardens that provide both produce and a cooling effect for the house.
The homeowners approached us with a desire for a simple, sustainable, and unpretentious home that was nonetheless beautiful and comfortable—one that harmonized with the local lifestyle, people, and climate. The project took nearly four years to complete, from design through construction.
Functionally, the house accommodates a two-generation family: the parents and their two children. The middle-aged owners enjoy gardening and maintaining their home; they envisioned a private sanctuary where they could feel relaxed and at ease. We designed a three-story structure featuring a living room, dining area, and kitchen, along with four bedrooms and a rooftop utility structure for storage and technical equipment. As the house faces west and is exposed to intense afternoon sun, we set the building back from the street, creating a large front garden and a rooftop vegetable garden to mitigate direct sunlight and heat radiation.
In terms of form, the building’s layout is U-shaped, wrapping around a small central garden. The central zone houses the corridors and staircase, serving as the circulation hub that connects the various living spaces. Stepping out of the rooms into the corridor brings residents into contact with the central bamboo garden, fostering a sense of closeness to nature and promoting relaxation as they move through the house. In addition, we have incorporated numerous small gardens along the sides and on the rooftops of various levels, ensuring that every space has access to natural light and greenery, and that each bedroom enjoys its own private garden. All areas are interconnected through nature, trees, sunlight, and breezes. People can experience the presence and beauty of the natural world, its sounds, light, sun, and rain… through the architecture itself.
Regarding materials, we proposed constructing the house entirely from exposed concrete. While common, this material possesses a unique, simple, and enduring beauty that suits Vietnam's architectural context and climate. In Vietnam, concrete is typically used only for structural frameworks, with brickwork used for walls; over time, however, such structures often deteriorate. The interface between brick and concrete tends to separate, leading to cracking and water seepage, which necessitates ongoing maintenance and repainting.
Exposed concrete offers a simple, rustic aesthetic and exceptional durability, requiring minimal maintenance or repainting. However, achieving a high-quality exposed concrete finish demands meticulous design and construction. This reflects our architectural philosophy: the decision to build with concrete requires the client, architect, and contractor to collaborate carefully and deliberate thoroughly. Ultimately, the goal is to create a structure that stands the test of time in terms of functionality, aesthetics, and build quality.
We believe that concrete construction will become increasingly popular in Vietnam as more people come to appreciate the material's beauty. With rising labor costs, the use of concrete as main material can reduce construction time and expenses while delivering a durable building that requires little repair or maintenance. This is also our motto: More simple, more sustainable.
