The house is built on a typical 5 × 20-meter urban plot, a common lot size found in many Vietnamese cities.
The clients are a young family with a primary school-aged son. After years of living and working in Hanoi, they chose to return to their hometown of Bac Giang, where they purchased the land and built a peaceful home for the next chapter of their lives.
To overcome the limitations of the long and narrow townhouse typology, the architects introduced two setbacks: one at the front and one at the rear of the site.
The front setback creates a buffer between the house and the street, helping reduce noise and dust while providing a greater sense of privacy. Unlike many neighboring townhouses that occupy the entire plot, Tranquil House offers a modest front courtyard where the family's young son can safely play within the home rather than on the street.
At the rear, another setback brings daylight, natural ventilation, and greenery into the bedrooms. It also gives the ground-floor kitchen direct access to an open backyard, creating a well-ventilated workspace that suits the Vietnamese tradition of everyday wet cooking.
From the entrance, the ground floor unfolds through a sequence of spaces including the front courtyard, foyer, living room, kitchen and dining area, and a rear garden.
The first floor accommodates the child's bedroom, the master bedroom, and a home office.
The second floor contains a flexible guest bedroom, a laundry and drying area, and the family's ancestral worship room.
The most distinctive aspect of the layout is the placement of the private rooms at the front and rear ends of the house. Between them, shared functions - including the home office and laundry area - are organized around a central skylight. This double-height void gradually widens toward the roof, acting as a light funnel that draws daylight deep into the interior. As a result, every space benefits from natural light, while each bedroom enjoys both air intake and exhaust, enabling effective cross ventilation.
Beyond improving daylight and ventilation, the central void also strengthens the relationship between the different levels of the house. From his workspace, the father can still talk to his son while he studies in his bedroom. The carefully calibrated split levels and open void create a sense of connection without compromising the privacy of each space.
The material palette is intentionally simple and honest. Staggered brickwork defines the rear courtyard, natural cubic stone pavers shape the front yard, while light-toned engineered timber adds warmth to the interior.
Together, these materials give the house a youthful, contemporary character without losing its sense of familiarity and comfort.
Since its completion, Tranquil House has become a valuable reference for similar townhouse projects in the local area.
