Bac Hong House

The house is located in an old suburb village of Hanoi, in the ancestral land of >700 m2 with a family temple. Demand for use includes a family temple, a large yard for meeting, daily living accommodation for grandparents and for children and grandchildren on weekends.

With this very project, we were focusing on renewing as well as preserving the rural identity and making some experiments in Hanoi – where the traditional peri-urban villages are threatened by the urbanization wave. In this case, the idea is to transform the conflict of shapes into visual pressing – not only recreating 1-2 houses but rebuilding a sense of the village’s spirit (with the ambition to spread this compressed model around).

Photography by © Trieu Chien

The blocks with sloping roofs are separated & buckled into different directions (in order to create vivid images with non-large volumes), and freely arranged around the wide yard in front of the worshiping hall. Multi-directional, multi-central elliptical patio and eaves create a soft connection, turning the opposition into a dialogue.

Grandparents need quietness but are carefully arranged to be together with the grandchildren who are always active to have more chance for interaction between generations – also to give the parents on the other side certain independence. Exciting corners stimulates children to explore. The gate can be opened widely at the land corner to expand the village road space during special event for the entire ancestry.

Photography by © Trieu Chien

The main materials chosen are bricks & tiles. The courtyard is paved according to the different patterns of the old village roads; tiles were manually produced to allow moss to grow. This is also an opportunity to apply & improve the traditional construction techniques: Double-layered walls, light walls with holes for ventilation, multi-layer roof… The result is a retrospective and eclectic scene – but visually effective.

Photography by © Trieu Chien

Project Info:
Architects: LAB Concept
Location: BẮC HỒNG, Vietnam
Area: 410 m²
Project Year: 2018
Photographs: Trieu Chien
Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Gia Long Furniture Architecture JSC, Kanly Limited Company, Local supplier, Trimble Navigation, Vietnam Decorative Concrete Limited Company, Woodon JSC