Sanuki Daisuke Architects Co., Ltd

NGA House

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

NGA HOUSE

Sanuki Daisuke architects

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Sanuki Daisuke, Tieu Dong Phuong

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Nam Trung Designing and Construction Limited Company

STRUCTURE ENGINEER
Nam Trung Designing and Construction Limited Company

PHOTOGRAPHS
Hiroyuki Oki

BUILDING HEIGHT
11.8 m, 4 Stories

AREA
122.0 m2

YEAR
2018

LOCATION
Vietnam

CATEGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

This is a private residence project for a family in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City. Our client is a gentleman who lives abroad and had requested to build a house for his mother, Mrs. Nga, and her family currently living in Vietnam.

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

The area has a particularly high building density in the city, with several 1 to 3-story buildings constructed in close proximity to each other.

According to Mrs. Nga, who has been living in the area for over 40 years, the land used to be forested.

Currently, her residence is a small house which lies among a tangled web of narrow alleys of only 1-2 meters in width.

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

If a typical house were to be built on this site, it might face the challenge of not getting in enough light as the neighbor constructions will cast shadows over it, resulting in a dark and damp space.

Hence, the aim of this project is to create an open living space in the middle of such a high-density residential area. 

At the start, we set out an open area which is surrounded by closely compacted premises.

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

We ensured maximize the construction volume, and at the same time arranging space for a back garden.

Afterward, we observed the movement of the Sun and made a diagonal cut in the building accordingly, making an open floor space to avoid direct sunlight from entering the rooms and overheating them.

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

The reflected natural light on the floor from the outdoors would brighten the indoor space. The five requested bedrooms are three-dimensionally stacked into a block — and the remaining area becomes a continuous open space.

The common area, the entrance, the kitchen, and dining area are on the first floor; the living room on the second, and the worship room on the third. 

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

The open space connects these floors, running continuously from the entrance door to the rooftop.

We envision this construction as a ‘three-dimensional garden’ — where the wind and sunlight travel constantly from the outdoors through every open entrance in the building.

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

Waterproof cement is applied to both the outer and inner walls, making a seamless transition from the outdoor space to the inside of the house.

When approaching the house from the 1-meter wide alley, we’d see a large open space gradually appears amongst a crowded urban area.

NGA House
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki

The residents can enjoy the change in the living atmosphere throughout different times and weather in the day.

Despite the challenge that the premise is built amidst a densely populated area, still, we have managed to achieve this open living space so that the family can appreciate the natural light and fresh air from the outdoors.

NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki


NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki


NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki
NGA House
© Hiroyuki Oki


NGA House
Elevations
NGA House
Sections


NGA House
Site Plan
NGA House
Floor Plans


NGA House
Diagrams
NGA House
Location Sketch

Sanuki Daisuke Architects Co., Ltd
T +84 286 2916595
Sanuki Daisuke Architects Co., Ltd
4th floor, 120a Tran Ke Xuong, Phu Nhuan Dist, HCMC, Vietnam