Small Houses

Small Houses

Bloom Architecture

Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Antoine Meinnel, Bloom Architecture

ENGINEERING & CONSULTING
Paradise Phnom Penh

DESIGN TEAM
Kong Lim, Heng Thanak, Ny Kechseang

LEAD TEAM
Antoine Meinnel

PHOTOGRAPHS
Hiroyuki Oki

AREA
600 M²

YEAR
2020

LOCATION
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

CATEGORY
Houses

Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki

Text description provided by architect.

Bloom designed this collection of 3 small houses in 2019, with the aim to create a surprising green environment, a haven in disconnection from one of the most dynamic streets of Phnom Penh.

Inside a colonial residential block, the project creates a sense of place by turning the challenge of accessing through a narrow alleyway into the opportunity to create a small residential community.

It was critical to keep a village scale, a unique feature in the city center of Phnom Penh, hence the shapes of the houses were inspired by the preexisting vernacular wooden Cambodian houses sitting there.

Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki

The 4 levels of private houses have reduced footprints and shared boundary walls. This innovative modern typology was developed as an alternative for city centers where density is paramount and real estate cost prohibitive.

The openings are irregular and positioned to allow light on the ground floor while maintaining privacy.

Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki

The views become more prominent on the upper floors. The first two levels of the facades were designed like a double-layered facade using a custom pattern of local handmade cement block.

The craftsmanship of this material provided the right balance between aesthetics and durability.

Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki

The laterite orange color of the cement block screen is given by natural pigments, it provides the perfect substrate for lush tropical vegetation.

Maintaining the domestic scale for the project and adding a greener feeling to the interior of the residential block was meant to create a sense of belonging for the dwellers, a community, 30-something urbanites and designers, with their kids and dogs, creatively share the alleyway, a courtyard and shared rooftops.

Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki


Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki
Small Houses
© Hiroyuki Oki


Small Houses
Plan - Ground Floor
Small Houses
Plan - 1st Floor
Small Houses
Plan - 2nd Floor
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Plan - Rooftop


Small Houses
Concept Diagram
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Elevation and Section


Small Houses
Bricks