Nhà Bè House / Tropical Space

Architects: Tropical Space
Area: 432 m²
Year: 2022
Photography: Hiroyuki Oki
Architects: Nguyen Hai Long, Tran Thi Ngu Ngon
Engineer: Bach Ngoc Hoang
City: Phu Xuan
Country: Vietnam

In 2022, Tropical Space designed a home in Phu Xuan, Vietnam, that embodies a serene sanctuary for a family of five women. The 432 m² residence optimizes the local microclimate to maintain comfort through natural ventilation strategies. Key features include a central void that acts as a climate buffer and communal spaces that foster family interactions. The design thoughtfully integrates indoor and outdoor environments, promoting a connection with nature through structured openings and garden views. This project reflects a thoughtful approach to residential design in a tropical, peri-urban setting, providing both physical comfort and a space conducive to familial bonding.

The residence serves as a tranquil refuge for four middle-aged sisters and their mother, who aim to spend their later years together. The design facilitates family communication while accommodating individual privacy around a central void that helps regulate the home’s microclimate.

The property is elongated and accommodates five bedrooms, an open living area connected to a garden and front yard, and other communal spaces. A palm canal nearby enhances the microclimate, particularly during hot summers, as breezes carry moisture across the area, cooling the surroundings.

The main structure features a pitched roof with a central void extending to the attic, utilized for worship. This space serves as a thermal buffer against solar heat, while moisture-laden winds from the canal cool the lower levels through strategic openings in the walls. This natural ventilation system ensures the house remains cool and comfortable.

The building, nestled in a densely populated peri-urban neighborhood, is accessible from both inside and outside. The exterior design incorporates sponge walls of suitable height to maintain privacy and provide shade, enabling air circulation, minimal sunlight penetration, and protection from tropical rain.

Internally, a square corridor surrounds a central garden, enhancing the core living space with daylight and coolness, augmented by greenery. The arrangement includes a large dining area promoting daily interaction, seamlessly connecting to the kitchen, living, and reading areas, as well as the open-plan bedroom designed for the family matriarch. These spaces open to both internal and external gardens, fostering a harmonious living environment.

Living outside the inner city affords residents the luxury of expansive spaces, purer air, and closer engagement with nature—qualities increasingly sought after post-COVID-19, as people move away from the constraints of urban living.