Long Thanh Villa: A Tropical Retreat
KM Architecture Office: Designed and built after the Covid pandemic, Long Thanh Villa serves as a peaceful haven for a retired couple.It was built with the intention of reconnecting with family and siblings, living close to nature, and enjoying the simple pleasures of old age.
Taking advantage of the existing greenery, the design aims to allow all spaces in the house to fully experience the surrounding nature. Therefore, the structure is simple, consisting of two rectangular blocks stacked and slided on top of each other, with a void created by cutting the blocks to form small gardens interspersed within the overall large garden.
Thanks to this block structure, the design creates buffer zones: corridors, wide porches, canopies, and auxiliary blocks (elevator, garage, auxiliary kitchen). These important spaces allow the main cores (kitchen, living room, and bedrooms) inside to have a wide view of the garden through large floor-to-ceiling glass windows. However, it also reduces the impact of sunlight and high temperatures on the west-facing facade. At the same time, the open buffer zones with canopies and corridors create the best ventilation conditions for the main spaces inside the core of the house.
The back of the house is designed to be quiet, with a lawn and a bamboo slat canopy above, where the owner can hang bird cages, a hobby of his in his old age. The front yard is a lawn with a few trees at key viewpoints, located next to the yard of the neighboring brother's house, which serves as a place for family gatherings. In addition, on the side of the house, adjacent to the existing garden (the reserve land of the Investor), is a lawn with a fish pond and a canopy, which is also an effective complement to the overall shape of the house, creating a quiet view and drawing attention to the main house.
In addition, the design proposes a system of rotating bamboo slat doors for the facades. This local material is reminiscent of the familiar bamboo screens and fences in Vietnamese houses, and is in line with the discreet yet impressive spirit of the villa.
The combination of oak wood, bamboo, and white paint creates a relaxing and unpretentious space, alongside the necessary amenities for a villa.
