Every project has a unique story
This time, I will discuss the design of a two-story residential house, and coincidentally, this project is one of the works I undertook during the early stages of establishing my architectural firm. The location is situated within a housing complex. The house is designed with a building area of 164m2 on a land area of 180m2.
Originally, this was an old house. However, it was demolished and rebuilt anew. The debris from the old building was repurposed as a foundation for the new house. I intentionally elevated its position by about 80-100 cm from the road because the front of the house used to flood every year.
Concept
I conceived the building with a focus on simplicity and clarity. Simplicity leans towards minimalism, meaning each element is returned to its fundamental function. Unnecessary elements, such as ornaments and profiles, were removed, leaving only essential elements without compromising aesthetic value. By eliminating unnecessary elements, the construction became more focused on what truly matters.
Building Form
The building is designed in a square shape, with a 4mx4m module. The square shape was chosen for its effectiveness and efficiency in spatial planning. The structure is continuous and typical. The bathroom is positioned on the first floor, aligned vertically with the bathroom on the second floor. This arrangement allows plumbing and sanitation installations to share a single route, centralized in one area. This approach also contributes to cost savings in materials and construction.
Living Room
The idea is to integrate several functions into one space—specifically, the living room, dining area, and kitchen are combined into an open-plan concept. This space covers an area of approximately 32m2. To enhance the sense of spaciousness, I designed this area with an inside-out concept, dominated by transparent materials (glass) and facing towards the garden. With large windows and sliding doors on every side, this space requires minimal artificial lighting and air conditioning, especially during the day, making the house more energy-efficient.
Side Yard
On the right side of the living room, there is a spacious side yard with sliding doors, serving as an extension of the living room. Originally intended for a swimming pool, it was abandoned due to maintenance concerns. This private 30m2 garden can only be enjoyed from within the house and serves as a green area. Recently, the garden has been transformed into a productive kitchen garden to meet the homeowners' cooking needs.
Stairs
To ensure that all areas of the house receive sunlight, I placed a void directly above the stairs and added a small window to capture natural light. As the kitchen is positioned somewhat in the rear corner, the void and small window above the stairs save the kitchen area from darkness during the day. The stairs are made of concrete, with a different covering material from the rest of the floor. The granite used measures 90cm x 30cm, matching the size of the steps to avoid floor seams.
Open Space
A common request from clients is to maximize the building footprint on the available land. However, the presence of open areas is crucial. The majority of the land in this building is utilized as open space. Thus, the left, right, and rear sides of the house do not abut the neighboring walls (as seen in cluster homes). This design choice serves multiple purposes, including creating service corridors, facilitating air circulation, fire prevention, and preventing dampness in the interior walls during rainy seasons. Gaps between the house and neighboring walls can allow rainwater infiltration, leading to dampness, which can be challenging to address. Keeping a gap ensures safety, and if any dampness occurs, repairs are more straightforward and do not involve the neighbor's wall.
Interior
The main principle in minimalist design is that everything should serve a purpose. For instance, choosing large furniture when smaller ones suffice, or buying numerous cooking utensils despite infrequent use. In general, the interior concept and selection of household items adhere to the overarching theme of simplicity. There are no unnecessary elements, and the color palette is limited to white and black as accents. The choice of furniture aligns with the theme, such as creating a handle-less kitchen set, selecting calm colors, avoiding profiles, and more.
Project Name - HR House
Years - 2012 to 2015
Land Area - 180m2
Building Area - 164m2
Building Type - Private House