Created by architect firm HGAA, the Green Curtain House has a revitalising spirit, which puts the elderly homeowners close with nature. The serene residence offers the couple a simple and quiet life in Mao Khe, an urban growth area of Quang Ninh province. Vietnam. Life in this home revolves around the garden setting, where a fishpond provides a place for calm reflection under a curtain of green hanging plants. Vegetation surrounds all aspects of the house, forming a peaceful cocoon. The house’s red brickwork and raw concrete structure contrasts with nature’s greenery, whilst building a rustic living vibe. Local materials communicate a simplicity and emotion that unifies humans and habitat.
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The picturesque garden is a layered architectural space with built up red brickwork walls and a tall canopy of trailing vegetation.
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The plethora of hanging plants suspend a green curtain over the front entrance of the house, whilst two raised beds of dense tropical plants flank the cool stone pathway.
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Smooth pathways encircle the green space, laying down an easy pathway for its elderly owners to comfortably enjoy the garden.
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The homeowners beloved koi fish pond has built up sides to meet the height of the raised planters. Green foliage frames the calm water’s edge.
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The tiled pathway into the home crosses over the pond, which constructs a wonderful entanglement of land and water elements.
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Just one step outdoors puts the homeowners at the edge of the fishpond. The couple’s children love to come to this home on weekends to either enjoy or disrupt the serenity!
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The main living spaces radiate from the central patio, which gives it a peacefully introverted separation from the outside world.
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Brick flower beds fill the borders of the garden.
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The same exposed raw red brickwork becomes rustic decor inside the open plan mid century modern living room. Concrete ceilings run an industrial vibe all the way through.
A long dining table gives the couple a place to dine with all of their visiting family. Patio doors open up the dining area to the central garden and to the green borders that surround the home. Multi-aspect doors and windows create cool cross ventilation, and it is also this constant connection with nature that gives the house its blissful energy.
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The garden’s enveloping presence establishes deep connection with nature and also towards each other.
Trees, plants and water fill every view from the house, where wide windows and open doors let in the air, light, and gentle sounds of nature. One entire wall of the kitchen opens up to a relaxing sun deck–a perfect spot for taking morning tea. The kitchen design itself is of timber construction, which melds warmly with the red brick interior. A black fridge freezer and a central grey kitchen island add some darker notes to the scheme, which complement the black window and door frames around the room.
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Mature trees grow through the decks of the scenic courtyard design.
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Long vines softly filter the strong sunlight.
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The pond is thoughtfully designed with a close wraparound effect that cleverly amalgamates it with the house.
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At night, the garden is a magical place, full of atmospheric light and shadows.
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Underwater lights illuminate the pond. Wall lamps flood down the red brick perimeter.
A floor to ceiling window provides all of the decoration that the room needs, with a stunning vista of the garden and koi fish pond. The stylish lounge chair positioned by the glass is the Wegner Circle chair.
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The second bedroom is equal in size to the master. The green views around this bedroom are provided by the border that lines the back and side of the property. A piece of made-to-measure furniture doubles as a home workspace and a dressing table.
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Upstairs, there is a prayer room, a laundry, another guest room and a separate bathroom. The Noguchi style mid century modern coffee table, two lounge chairs and a jute rug make the long landing area into a restful reading space.
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A long skylight brightens the full length of the reading room, whilst low windows look out onto rooftop vegetation.
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Out on the upstairs terrace, the green-fingered homeowners cultivate their own vegetable patches.
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The red brick house looks unassuming from the outside.
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Layers of green trees and vines cape the house.
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The living green cover helps keep out dust from the street and reduces passing traffic noise.
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The thick greenery emerges over the top of the high walls, intriguing passers by.
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The first floor plan shows the layout of the two bedrooms and bathrooms in relation to the main living space. We can see that the kitchen acts as a connecting space between the living room and the private quarters.
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The second floor plan demonstrates the central positioning of the light filled reading space, with two upstairs rooms flanking either side. We can also observe how the second floor vegetable patches are split into two separate roof gardens, accessible via doorways in each end of the reading room.
