Architecture: AD+studio

Surface: 150m2

Project Year: 2019

Photo: Hoang Le

Products: Dulux, Hafele, Toto, Vietceramics

Architect in Charge: Nguyen Dang Anh Dung

Design Team: Vo Dinh Huynh, Nguyen Ngoc Diep, Nguyen Thuy Minh Thy, Nguyen Huu The Trang

Supervisor: Vo Dinh Huynh

Construction: AD+studio, Local Masons

Descriptive text provided by the architect

Living in Binh Duong comes with its fair share of challenges. Rapid industrial development has led to poor air quality, noise pollution, and heavy traffic congestion, compromising the quality of the living environment. Construction sites have become a common sight, exacerbating the situation. Nevertheless, amidst these drawbacks, there is a house that defies the odds, offering a semi-limited yet vibrant space for its extroverted owners.

The original design plan aimed to create a sanctuary, isolating the house from its surroundings. However, this concept met with resistance from the extroverted family members, spanning three generations, deeply connected to the community that thrives in this alley.

To strike a balance, the architects focused on a keyword – “limit.” Rather than enforcing a complete separation, the house embraced a semi-limited space, utilizing a rigid curtain wall alongside interior boundaries. These room walls, together with carefully placed vegetation and stairs, created a transitional buffer zone that united the interior and exterior realms.

This innovative approach formed a double-enclosed structure that mitigated the adverse environmental impact while ensuring effective ventilation and natural lighting. More importantly, it sustained the interaction between the building and the lively alley on the left. The “curtain” of the façade, crafted from fired bricks, displayed varying gradations and porosity, effectively portraying the reorganized spaces and their intended functions and levels of privacy. The upper floors, dedicated to private bedrooms and a focused graphic artist’s workspace, enjoy less interaction with the outside world.

While the vertical limits establish a connection between the building and its context, the horizontal lines foster a sense of connectivity within the interior spaces. By introducing panels of varying heights instead of continuous ones typically found in narrow tube houses, the design promotes strong familial bonds. A flexible stair system runs through the house, reducing the perception of small individual spaces and creating expansive views despite the limited 4x8m construction area.

In a landscape defined by industrialization, the Boundary House stands as a testament to thoughtful design. It embodies the spirit of sociability while addressing the challenges of its surroundings. The use of space, innovative materials, and an understanding of the owners’ extroverted nature converge to create a dwelling that embraces the community without compromising on privacy.

To learn more about Caravansarai and their architectural wonders, visit Caravansarai.