a21 studio supports individual dwellings within saigon house in vietnam

a21 studio supports individual dwellings within saigon house in ho chi minh city
photography by quang tran

standing unobtrusively on a bustling street of activity, the ‘saigon house’ by a21 studio in vietnam’s capital city of ho chi minh is a project that references the former city of saigon. built for a family with seven children, the architects took advantage of the long and narrow plot and extended upwards, giving plenty of area to explore options for room arrangement. instead of organizing rooms onto different levels, through careful integration, individual dwellings have been constructed that suspend above each other and supported by the walls on each side. forming the bedrooms and special niches, the feeling of being outside and inside is achieved.

the suspended dwellings are supported the walls on each side

the interesting layout gives the large family privacy within a constraint site and at the core forms an open communal area where a single tree grows. meanwhile, a main staircase at the front connects the singular dwellings that are located at the front of the house and other that leads to the rest of the spaces at the back. topped off with a filigree metal screen, that starts as the roof and continues down to the front façade. the light and airy residence establishes a meaningful dialog between past and present where the architects comment that the design has been defined ‘by our love for saigon’s alleys, which are romantic with its rain and sunshine.’

the open communal area at the core of the house

floors have not been established but are formed by the individual interior spaces

wooden staircase

the material palette consists of reclaimed materials and concrete

one of the bedrooms

the house gives the large family privacy and interesting spaces to inhabit

due to the open nature of the roof, the space is constantly lit

the house pays tribute to old saigon

front façade

model