Context
On the edge of the Tam Giang Lagoon in Hue City, Cho Do village sits like a secluded island, cradled between rice fields and open water. Like many rural communities, it has seen its young people leave. Those who remain are mostly elderly residents living alone, who still make their living fishing the lagoon. The climate of Hue, and of Central Vietnam more broadly, brings intense heat, heavy rainfall, frequent typhoons and seasonal flooding every year.
The site reflects the fragmented, finely subdivided land pattern typical of the village. It is an irregular nine-sided polygon facing due east onto a vast expanse of rice paddies. It is directly exposed to typhoon winds, the cold winter monsoon, and annual floodwaters that rise between 1.0 and 1.2 metres. Around 90% of the surrounding houses are roofed and clad in corrugated metal sheeting to cope with the weather. A careful study of this vernacular fabric led to the choice of fibre-cement corrugated sheeting. This material forms a double-layered outer envelope that shields the house from natural hazards while allowing it to blend into the village landscape.
The family wished for a home that feels open and welcoming, yet keeps the private courtyard they need. They also wanted to preserve the front veranda, where the village elders gather each afternoon to catch the breeze, and which becomes a shared community space during Tet.
Spaces
The form of the house is derived from the angled edges of the site itself. This distinctive multi-faceted volume makes the most of the available area. It opens up to cooling summer breezes, while a glazing system tempers the east and north-east storm winds of winter. Raising the floor level provides a safe response to flooding, allowing the building to actively coexist with the annual high waters.
Inside, functions and circulation are pushed to the site boundaries, freeing up the centre for the main living space on the ground floor and a generous balcony on the upper floor. The balcony offers panoramic views over the rice fields and the Tam Giang Lagoon. As a result, light and shade, enclosure and openness unfold in a gentle rhythm, creating spaces that are open, accessible and well connected.
The rhythm of village life, the bond with neighbours fostered by the deeply recessed veranda, and the protection of the silver-painted outer skin together give the house abundant light and airflow, while preserving privacy and calm within.
Human
The interplay of open and enclosed spaces, together with the split levels, creates a fluid spatial sequence that responds precisely to the health needs and daily routines of each family member. The path from shared living areas to private rooms is clear and intuitive. On the ground floor, introversion and tranquillity take priority: the entire level is designed as a sheltered, self-contained living zone where the homeowner’s health can be cared for safely. The front veranda carries this life outward to the community, bringing together elders and village children, and serving as a traditional gathering and play space each spring.
The connection between generations, stretching from those who have moved far away back to their native land, creates the sense of warmth the design seeks to convey.
With a modest budget of just VND 1.2 billion, the design delivers a cost-efficient solution. The raised floor keeps the house above annual floods, and a double-layered façade reduces the impact of heat and heavy rain. The flexible functional layout creates a series of contrasts: open and closed, inward and connected, private and communal. These respond precisely to the needs of both people and nature. Through this dialogue between house and context, between contemporary architecture and local identity, the project seeks a balanced and sustainable way of life for the family.
Team:
Architecture firm: H.BD atelier
Lead Architect: Phạm Việt Anh
Design & Development Team: Nguyễn Văn Đức, Hoàng Thị Thảo Miên, Phạm Phương Nam, Trương Vĩnh Minh Châu
Photographer: Phạm VIệt Anh – HungHoa
Film: HungHoa
Materials Used:
Hoa Phat
Dong Lam
Cavidi
Dat Hoa
Grando
Tan Phat Tam Chau Factory
My Kolor
Dong Tam
Vilacera
Moc Phat
Vinh Tuong
Aqua Ceramic
Rang Dong
Construction by MTA Desin&Build. Co. ltd
