Blue-Green Stone Walls Anchor a Family’s Serene Retreat in Vietnam

They enclose the home’s private spaces, where bedrooms open onto interior courtyards with outdoor showers.

Text by

Emma Fuller-Monk

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Project Details:

Location: Thuy Bieu Village in Hue City, Vietnam

Architect: SILAA Architects

Footprint: 1,200 square feet

From the Architect: "Tucked into a pomelo village that is wrapped by a beautiful winding river before it flows to the center of Hue, a tourist city in the middle of Vietnam, this small timber house was built as a bungalow to meet the owner’s dream of creating a retreat where the family, which came from a big and noisy city, can enjoy the privacy and fresh atmosphere inside a garden full of pomelo flowers. It is also a base for the family to look after a homestay project that will be also built in the pomelo garden as their business.

"This 1,200 square foot house has a common area, two bedrooms, two restrooms, and surrounding spaces. The common area connects with a veranda that goes along the main facade, facing a water lily pond in front of the house. There is a small wooden bridge across the pond that serves as the main access. The two bedrooms and restrooms offer privacy and a calming atmosphere facilitated by a natural stone wall that wraps around, creating the inner gardens for each space. Additionally each inner garden features an outdoor shower.

"A timber mezzanine lit by a rooftop skylight is the family’s library and storage. There they can read books and enjoy views of the pomelo garden. All the spaces of the house are covered by a large slopping roof that creates shadows and helps dampen the tropical climate of the site which features harsh sunlight in the summer and prolonged heavy rains in the winter. Most of the furniture, main frame, and walls of the house are made of reclaimed lumbers collected from the remains of demolished buildings. Different types of stone, wood, concrete, glass, terracotta, and textile create the color palette. The children and their grandmother can rest and relax in this cozy and calming atmosphere."