the bunker house by nha dan architects exposes the raw texture of concrete in vietnam

in district 2 of ho chi minh city, nha dan architects has carved out an introverted yet voluminous living space called ‘bunker house’. spanning five floor levels, including a basement and roof terrace, the interior spatial experiences are designed around the concrete structure, resulting in a sense of robustness and an honest expression of materiality.

all images courtesy of nha dan architects

in previous projects by nha dan architects, a system of concrete beams and columns was used to free the floor plans of columns, better connecting the different spaces while letting the outdoors in. in bunker house, they employed this concrete system not only as structure, but also as spatial partitions and the project’s guiding aesthetics.

a series of concrete columns grouped into 3 ‘legs’ serve as structural anchor points for the cantilevered waffle slabs. these 3 legs define the spatial experiences throughout the house: on the first floor, the first leg protects the living spaces from the outside world; the second—essentially an elevator core—and the third leg together delineate a soft border between served and service spaces. the first and second leg accentuate the living and dining room with the added height. on the upper levels, these legs merge with non-structural walls to define the limits between the interior and the outdoors, and partition off the upper level into smaller rooms.

the raw aesthetic and texture from the waffle slabs’ ribs are continued onto the concrete and metal pergolas on the outside, and also the ceilings and walls. the resulting interior space feels contained and sturdy, like a bunker, and yet fluid, airy and full of natural light.

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project info:

project name: bunker house

type: residential

location: district 2, ho chi minh city, vietnam

architect: nha dan architects

status: completed

design: 2018

construction: 2019

construction area: 9493.77 ft2 (882 m2)

architects in charge: nguyen dinh gioi, tran minh phuoc

contractor: nhadan co., ltd