6. NDC House
Located in District 1, the central urban district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the 300 sqm residence extends into four levels, consisting of a double-height ground floor, a mezzanine, and two upper floors with more private spaces. Tropical Space applied its characteristic clay bricks in a perforated arrangement on the façade of the NDC building, extruded from a concrete base. Also used are clay brick and concrete architectural elements inside the house, along with solid wood surfaces and features, and a terrazzo base. The perforated façade is used to allow in more natural light and air without compromising privacy, while the top floor houses outdoor terrace. The pieces of solid wood furniture create a warm and cozy atmosphere in the various rooms, complemented by plenty of greenery. The kitchen, the dining room and the living room are on the ground floor, the second living room on the mezzanine and the two bedrooms on the upper floors.
7. LT House
LT House, designed for a newlywed couple, is also a part of Tropical Space research for Affordable Houses in Vietnam. The team aspires to create a beautiful and fun living space around Vietnam for middle-income labor. With the limited area, the architects blurred the ideals of private and shared spaces. The furniture is simple and minimalistic. The owner has bought the material and collaborated with the designers and construction workers to save the expense. The front and back yards are the transition areas from the outside world. The front yard, like morning coffee, is a calming place, as it is the location where the sky, the sun and the shadow of the brick wall meet each other. The ground floor is a multi-functional space. The mezzanine is the family room with two bedrooms (one for the couple, one for the baby in the future), kitchen and dining table. This space for sharing is built for the user to feel the direction of the wind and sense the shadow and sunlight as they travel from the ground floor to the stairs and this space for sharing.
8. Chicken House
The Chicken’s House is built for an elderly couple who wanted to move to the countryside and raise some chickens in the garden that can keep them occupied. Not imprisoning chickens in cages, the design team provided free space for movement, a place to drink water, play and lay eggs. Metal grill and cemboard are used to made this chicken’s house. The aim of designing this house was to create a sense of play, peace and inspiration for the children. The simple elements make this house interesting and beautiful.
9. Wasp House
Wasp House is a small house in the Chinese-Vietnamese neighborhood in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City, with an area of 3.5mx7 m. This 2-storey house is built for two siblings, each floor being a bedroom. The house is illustrated by the unusual staircase that is also used to plant flowers, read books, and to just sit down and relax. With the windows on the roof and the brick wall arranged between openings, the house is full of sunshine. Living space is a mixture of emotions, rustic stone and abundant sunlight. The gate and fence are built with a metal grille to plant the vines. Those vines later covered the house façade to help keep out the dust. The architects simplify the details, materials and furniture to save the cost, as well as maximize the usable spaces and each floor’s height. The design team aims to provide this family with a vibrant and lively living space, with the idea that a beautiful house is not just for people with high incomes.
10. Projects at Conceptual Stage
Premier office, Tohe Hotel and Vietaing Hospital are a work in progress and are at their conceptual stage. The renders clearly exhibit Tropical Space’s peculiar character and design approach.
