Plants and trees form the highlight of this modestly sized house in Da Nang, Vietnam, both inside and out. The 100 square metre house, named the ‘Q house’ by architects Q Concept was shaped out of an idea for a tropical house to suit the Mid-Vietnam weather conditions. The large front garden is a nature “threshold†that delivers natural light and air to the home, which is quite a luxury in the densely populated cities of Vietnam. Inside, plantlife helps create relaxing natural spaces; local materials and neutral colors combine to achieve the home’s comfortable living temperature for the newly-married homeowners, who are thrilled with this realisation of their dream home.
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As in other densely populated cities, Vietnam city homes come with only small areas of land, and a lack of natural light and ventilation. These were the problems that the team of architects set out to address first and foremost. The front driveway, which also had to be available for car parking, was fashioned into a nature threshold. Pants root in the roof slats of a pergola over the driveway, a narrow plant bed runs the length with hanging planters dangling above.
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Beside the car parking place, a small lawn stretches away from the house and a block paved area with an outdoor swing.
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The lawn is bordered with small tropical plants and flowers, with larger specimens towering by the fence.
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Moving inside the house, we find shelves mounted across the kitchen window, where some indoor plants are given a home.
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A white L-shaped kitchen occupies the front of the house, overlooking the driveway and garden. The white units help the limited space to appear more open and airy.
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A minimalist dining room has a custom made banquette seat fashioned around a structural support wall to save on floor space. Three modern dining chairs line up along the opposite side, and a simple linear suspension light finishes off the arrangement. Three steps lead up to a sitting area with a tea table. The architect’s idea was to make a house in a simple shape, where all rooms and spaces linked to meet the owners’ needs.
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Indoor plants flourish all around the tropical sitting room, from built in planters, borders, and freestanding pots. Plants and trees have an indispensable role in this house design, creating a natural energy that helps to form relaxing spaces despite the small size of the rooms.
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An indoor deck crosses between the sitting area and an indoor koi pond. The homeowners shaped the concept of this home with their love of nature, plants and fish. Before this place, the couple had lived in tiny studios, which made them miserable. This time they were determined to realise a house full of light and air, a place with a natural atmosphere that they could call home. The architects employed local materials and neutral colors to complete the vision.
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At the side of the sitting room, a large shelving unit is filled with books and music. Directional spotlights illuminate the stacks, the tea table and fishpond.
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Tall speakers fill the open plan living space with clear sound.
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When there is no music playing, the relaxing sound of a small waterfall gushes from the indoor koi pond.
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A light well above the staircase floods the fishpond with natural light.
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Wooden treads atop white risers make the staircase design that climbs to two bedrooms on the first floor. Windows open into the stairwell for added ventilation upstairs.
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A criss-cross metal balustrade design climbs the sides of the staircase, and matches with the frames around the skylight.
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There is also a second floor, where plant greenery rains down through railings above the bedroom cross-ventilation windows.
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The open sides of the staircase design keeps the air moving freely around the whole home, as well letting glorious natural light pass through.
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The bedroom windows also allow the homeowners to tend to the suspended concrete planter.
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A green bed set ties to nature’s palette.
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Venetian blinds draw down over the bedroom windows for cool shade, and for privacy.
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A built-in closet makes the bedroom layout simple and streamlined.
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The second floor of the home offers a dressing room.
A similar stone sink is situated in a downstairs washroom, located just off the sitting room.
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Another pond is accommodated out on a lawned terrace.
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Plants on top of the pergola provide a green view from the top floor of the house.
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A little oasis in the city, this house is the realisation of dreams spanning several years. The hope is that they this home will provide happiness not only to the homeowner couple, but to their future children too.
