A Concrete Home in Vietnam Is Topped With Trees
Located in the densely populated Tan Binh District of Ho Chi Minh City, this tree-topped family home designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects aims to provide a blueprint for the future of urban housing.
In Ho Chi Minh City, only 0.25 percent of the landscape is covered with greenery.
Working within a budget of $155,000, the architecture firm cut costs while building the prototypical home by using locally sourced, untreated materials.
Completed in 2014, the home is made up of five concrete, flower pot-like boxes that surround a central courtyard.
The architecture firm has a history of designing buildings that incorporate plant life into the fabric of their projects.
This project sparks a conversation about the future of the relationship between urban development and the preservation of natural areas.
The thick soil layers on the roofs function as storm water basins. If the concept is applied to more buildings in the surrounding area, it could reduce the risk of flooding in the city.
Every room on the upper level has windows that face into the courtyard, blurring the line between indoor and outdoor spaces.
The external walls are made of in-situ concrete with bamboo formwork.
The large doors on the ground floor connect the courtyard with the interiors.
The open courtyard brings warmth and light into the home.
Locally sourced bricks are used for the internal walls.
The oasis-like abode stands out amongst the neighboring buildings.
The firm hopes that projects like these will encourage the city to switch to accommodating high-density dwellings with big tropical trees.
The ground floor houses the common areas such as the dining room and library.
The upper floors are connected by a steel bridge.
A bird's-eye view of the site.
The site elevation.
Project Credits:
Architecture Firm: VTN Architects
Principal architects: Vo Trong Nghia, Masaaki Iwamoto, Kosuke Nishijima
Architects: Nguyen Tat Dat
Contractor: Wind and WaterHouse JSC
Photography: Hiroyuki Oki
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