4 x 40 m. Narrow House With Inner Garden, Natural Ventilation and Cooling Design

Architects: Ho Khue ArchitectsArea : 700 m²Year : 2016Photographs : Hiroyuki Oki

The house land dimensions are narrow 4 meters (w) x 40 meters (l). Key elements and challenges are related to the ratio of the length to the width which effect natural lighting and ventilation.

Breakthrough design solutions created two separate blocks with a natural green garden located in the central core.

Beautiful bridges connect the two blocks through corridors landscaped with trees and decorative brick. This centralized open garden area allows breathing and ventilation throughout the house in addition to allowing natural light into all rooms.

The façade of this 4 story home covered with trees and planter boxes with captures the imagination of people travelling on this very busy commercial road Dien Bien Phu near the recently completed overpass.

The concrete slabs and rustic tiles are stacked close together with just enough trees growing to reduce dust and noise from the street. This offers natural and ongoing purification of the air inside the house.

The 3rd floor garden space connects the parent’s master bedroom and the family room. The path that leads through the central core garden is peaceful, cool, and quiet. The cooling air and natural light provides ideal living conditions throughout the house.

The idea and design solution of the “Green House” includes a 4th floor space with an open “sky garden” planted with tall trees and lush grass, wanting to put a Green Space into a townhouse which is situated in a noisy and cramped area.

The entire roof of the house will also be planted with clean vegetables and flowers providing the family with food and flowers throughout the year. The rooftop garden is created to reduce heat radiation into house and drastically reduce home heating.

Solutions for the roof garden began as phase 1 (completed) of the technical construction. Plans to complete the rooftop garden are expected to be completed early next year.

The rear of the building borders a road 5.5 m wide, and is heavily influenced by the hot sun and strong winds from the north-west. The back wall of the rear stairs is constructed using our brickwork with small vents throughout the wall.

These are designed to prevent the rain from entering the home while providing ventilation at every level. This facade is always cool, dry, and provides natural light without any heat typical of larger windows and opening.

The house is a “Green House” because of design solutions for natural ventilation and cooling, natural lighting, green trees and plants covering the entire house and roof.