Tropical Cave House

Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn

Tropical Cave House 

H&P Architects

ARCHITECTS
H&p Architects

MANUFACTURERS
Autodesk, Viglacera, Dap Cau

DESIGN TEAM
Doan Thanh Ha, Tran Ngoc Phuong, Nguyen Hai Hue, Trinh Thi Thanh Huyen, Nguyen Duc Anh,
Ho Manh Cuong, Nguyen Van Thinh, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Mai

CLIENTS
Nguyen Van Nam

AREA
160 M²

YEAR
2019

LOCATION
Bắc Ninh, Vietnam

CATEGORY
Houses

Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn

Text description provided by architect.

Located in the center of BacNinh city, the house can accommodate an extended family of 4 generations.

Its design is inspired by light and space effects, which resembles the "cave" style in a humid subtropical climate to bring about positive and vivid experiences to users’ senses:

Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn

low (at the entrance), wide and high (inside), narrow (nooks and crannies), open outwardly (door system); even light distribution (outside), gradual darkening (inward), streams of light (from above), alternating vegetation, etc.

Named Tropical Cave, the project employs void space as a catalyst to create the structure of the house with multiple layers of walls for shielding and connecting spaces for wind catch.

The house levels for specific purposes are randomly connected at different staircase positions so as to create and maintain a "fresh journey of experience" with interesting views and non-repeatable images.

Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House

A multi-dimensional transition space is also made from being shared to semi-private to private, alternated by vegetation (plants, vegetables).

The front facade has two large door systems (each with 10 doors of 6.6m high) and can be opened and closed (breathing) by hand easily via a steering wheel and power-assisted steering.

Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House

Skylight, door system and vegetation help regulate microclimate (sunny, rainy, windy, smoggy, noisy), thus giving users a customized view and blurring the boundaries between inside and outside, architecture and landscape.

In the ongoing unplanned urbanization, urban houses are gradually suffocating, isolating, and cutting off themselves from friendly relationships with the surrounding environment, making users insecure even when they are in their own accommodations.

Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn

Tropical Cave is introduced as a solution to help awaken to the facing problem, thereby creating a haven for homeowners to again stay in a safe place and take the same breath with the contemporary house, from the perspective of living harmoniously with the environment.


Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn


Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn
Tropical Cave House
© Tien Thành Nguyễn


Tropical Cave House
Open/Close Facade Images


Tropical Cave House
First Floor Plan
Tropical Cave House
Second Floor Plan
Tropical Cave House
Third Floor Plan
Tropical Cave House
Fourth Floor Plan
Tropical Cave House
Fifth Floor Plan
Tropical Cave House
Roof Plan
Tropical Cave House
Idea Diagram


Tropical Cave House
Section
Tropical Cave House
Elevation
Tropical Cave House
Doors Detail