Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Nguyen Hoang Manh— founder of MIA Design Studio—creates the new Villa Tan Dinh in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam for a private owner who desires not only a comfortable but also a convenient living space situated in the center area of a hectic city.
Villa Tan Dinh has recently been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Awards Honorable Mention and a 2022 Green Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The goal during the design stage was to create more spaces in the context of diminishing actual living space for humans due to the contemporary trends in “city-building.”
During discussions with the owner, the first task to be consulted was to create a bigger garden instead of a few small green zones at the entrance, from the doorstep.
The main concept was to create a living space that hovers above a mini-garden giving the feeling of walking on bridges.
All the primary activities in the house are connected throughout the empty zone between plants, water, as well as natural light.
Another distinguishing feature is the location adjacent to the historical buildings of Sai Gon such as Tân Định Church and Tân Định Market.
Also, the house is located in the middle of District 3, which is considered the most “condense” area of the city.
In the early morning or afternoon, one can hear the bell from the church, or just by walking out of the house, after a few steps, one can directly be in touch with the ambiance of the “alley” of Sai Gon, which comprises a special atmosphere of urban culture.
In the same way, the design team formed a thin steel cover layer that relatively separates private spaces and captures the most distinctive ones.
Lianas spread their stems over the steel net system and create a fresh green filter for the house instead of cold concrete and steel.
The use of a roller shutter system is maximized to clear the separation between outside and inside; also the thickness of the structure is taken into account so that the owner could have more space while the home remains warm and hospitable.
Its shape can be seen as a simple box when looked at from the outside, but from the inside, it contains many layers of space as well as alternations between light and dark intertwined with the raw materials of concrete and stones.
Last but not least, the house brings comfort to the owner, in which they can enjoy a garden with all the essence of Sai Gon in their own home.
Project: Villa Tan Dinh
Architects: MIA Design Studio
Architect In Charge: Nguyen Hoang Manh
Design Team: Truong Nguyen Quoc Trung, Pham Thi, Phuong Nhung, Bui Thi Hong Phuong, Bui Hoang Bao, Nguyen Ngoc Thien Phuong, and Nguyen Thi Hao
Client: Private
Photographers: Hiroyuki Oki