PVT House Embraces Vietnamese Climate with Lush Garden Views

PVT House by Cote Architects adopts a climate-smart design approach, enhancing natural light and ventilation across the home. Set in a quiet residential area in Huế, the open, expansive space allows for fluid transitions, especially from an outdoor courtyard.

To preserve privacy around the perimeter, the studio placed the two-storey home at the lot’s edge, allowing for a spacious front yard. It buffers the residence from a lush garden—a central standout of the plot for its bright and airy footprint.

Natural materials form the foundation of the design philosophy around PVT house. Exposed concrete forms thick slabs, walls and shells the structure. This no-frills material helps cut costs while remaining climate-smart, tackling challenges like the humid tropical environment and local rainfall.

“This home not only foster a connection to nature through materials but also leads to financial savings and adaptable to the rapidly changing environment,” stated the studio.

Traditional ventilation techniques enhance the primary material, and natural cooling was a priority as the firm looked to repurpose old construction elements.

To reduce energy consumption, Cote Architects employed ventilation solutions like operable glass doors and thermal pads. The adjustable facade and back terrace open up, breaking boundaries of indoor space and drawing fresh air in.

The south side’s concrete shell overlaps the main volume and covers an outdoor patio on the main floor. The concrete shells the central volume, deflecting sunlight and adding shade for protection during harsh weather.

The resulting open-air patio circulates airflow and light underneath to the interior.

Adjacently, sliding glass doors face the lush garden, maximising light around the shared spaces of the living room and kitchen. Additionally, a direct connection merges the outdoors and the home, further facilitating smooth transitions by “blurring the boundaries,” according to the firm.

“Integrated into the design, Cote creates a connection between the house and nature,” emphasised the studio.

The top volume holds concrete corridors, naturally ventilating while protecting the interiors from the sun. In tune with the shells of the design, layers of the tiled concrete roof include a garden panel, thermal pad, slab and insulation, adding an extra layer between interiors and the sun.

The layered design optimises ventilation through an open pocket between two concrete shells, cooling the building without the additional mechanical cooling systems.

On the upper floor, smaller terraced balconies in the corridors allow for personal vertical gardens. Each outdoor space extends and offers a private escape from the residence’s various bedrooms.

Functional benefits aside, this approach evokes timeless natural beauty, creating a seamless, cohesive effect across the home.

“The contradiction and unity, solid and void, let the design go smoothly and optimally linked, transforming spaces of the house from an enclosed space to a balanced situation,” said the studio.

The design celebrates dynamically layering the indoor and outdoor spaces by circulating airflow and light through careful thermal pad placements and diminishing boundaries with full partition doors.

Ultimately, the structure’s grid-like profiles and layering come as a result of a sustained focus on temperature moderation priorities that maximise ventilation and minimize energy.

PVT House further reflects Cote Architects’ broader ethos of integrating sustainable features that balance the natural environment and a human connection to place.