3 Houses / AD+studio

Architects: AD+studio
Area: 300 m²
Year: 2016
Photographs: Quang Dam

Text description provided by the architects. The building site can be reached from 2 different directions: one from a 3 meter-wide lane that can only be used by motorbikes and another is from a 5 meter-wide lane. The site is landlocked by many closely placed buildings: the front of the 5m lane has the 4 storeys (15 meters high) townhouses and the back of this site adjacent with 7.5 meters high 2 storeys house. As a result, it forms the site with a distinctive zigzag shape, with “the Knots” effect in the middle.

The design solution is to divide the house into 3 blocks with different height levels to accommodate different building functions. These blocks are then connected by courtyard acting as transition space; bringing lights and natural ventilation throughout the site. The courtyard space is the design solution to “the Knots” part of the site and performed as flexible space to provide light, shade, air, privacy, and shelter.

There are corridors stretches across 3 blocks at different levels which not only allow better circulation throughout building but also capturing lights reflected through changing shade of the materials during the different times of day.

The folded-roof system wrapped all space blocks together to define as one unity. The “angular geometry” roof system designed with different changing height levels corresponds to roof-scape and blends itself with the surrounding buildings. When it is seen from 5meter wide road, the unequal height of the house in comparison with other houses on the wider lane can be seen as the main viewpoint in the context.The louver system extends from roof to building facades in combination of folded roof pattern create an aesthetic connection of both external and interior spaces; also performs as comfortable shading system all year around.

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