DAH was tasked with designing a multi-generational home for a family of three generations: a grandmother, her children, and her grandson—the homeowner. The brief required dividing the space to accommodate the grandmother’s private living quarters and the family’s worship area, while providing a separate yet connected living space for the son’s family.

A key challenge was to ensure the sense of togetherness and warmth across two distinct building volumes. While physically separated, the two structures needed to maintain visual and spatial connectivity, reflecting the family’s desire for intimacy, care, and shared daily life.

The client envisioned a home that opens generously to nature, encouraging interaction with the outdoors while maintaining thermal comfort—cool in summer, warm in winter. In response, DAH’s design is centered around the idea of connection through thoughtful separation.

The plot was divided into two parts: one for the grandmother and one for the son’s family. Instead of isolating these spaces, DAH introduced a semi-permeable partition that acts as both storage and a privacy buffer. This wall allows visibility and subtle communication between the two units, supporting emotional closeness and caregiving ease.

A layered spatial organization is employed: shared spaces are located on the outer edges, with increasingly private areas nested deeper inside. Technical zones—such as the staircase, kitchen, and bathrooms—are positioned at the ends of the layout to free the central space for familial interaction.

To reduce the impact of western sunlight on the main façade, a row of trees was planted as a natural screen, paired with a small second-floor window. The building’s microclimate is regulated by a central courtyard, featuring greenery and a swimming pool that brings in daylight, airflow, and visual serenity. This courtyard also acts as the emotional and physical heart of the home, linking all private rooms and reinforcing family bonds.

Climate-responsive features such as wide eaves, awnings, sunshades, green canopies, and hanging plants draw inspiration from traditional Vietnamese verandas. These strategies reduce heat gain, promote ventilation, and enhance the home’s environmental sustainability. The resulting space is adaptive, energy-efficient, and deeply rooted in its cultural and climatic context.