The Grand House by Km Architecture Office
The Grand House is located in Vĩnh Phúc, Vietnam. Designed by Km Architecture Office, the house features a modern yet traditional style. It prioritizes connection with ancestry through a spatial arrangement that maintains essential activities, including a spacious courtyard, private bedrooms for siblings, and a focal worship space.
A Home Connecting Family Roots
We named this project Grand House, a shared home for the extended family where siblings return to be with their aging parents and connect with their roots. The spatial organization aims to harmonize openness and modernity with privacy and tradition, catering to the individual users while integrating into the overall context of the new rural area. Here, the descendants remain close and warm with their ancestors, yet can embrace a more open, outward-looking lifestyle that adapts positively to the present era.
Spacious Courtyards That Embrace Families
The spatial arrangement maintains the essential activities of the Grand House: a spacious courtyard linking the inside and outside. On regular days, the central space on the ground floor serves as the host’s reception area. On special occasions, the space can expand by combining with the courtyard for festivities or gatherings, like making traditional Chung cakes for the Lunar New Year. Underneath the central staircase, a focal point of the house, where many children play without disturbing other private spaces. Going up the stairs leads to the worship space, preserving memorabilia from the old ancestral altar. On both sides are bedrooms where siblings can stay when they come back home.
Contemporary Architecture Employing Familiar Elements
The double-layer structure is a familiar yet effective technique employed by many architects: it fits the tropical architectural style and feels familiar to the local people. However, in this case, we used large sunshade panels to maximize shading effectiveness towards the west. The colors of the panels harmonize with the landscape and endure the harsh weather conditions. All materials used for the house blend harmoniously with the surroundings while maintaining a modern touch: white-toned ceramic tiles cover the walls.
Contemporary Design That Evokes Simplicity
Through a contemporary architectural language, with minimal details and simplicity, familiar spaces like the veranda, courtyard, and children’s table are subtly recreated. This is what we, the designers, and the homeowners aspire to achieve. After many years away from their homeland, having experienced and learned many new things, what we truly need when we return is peace and simplicity.
Photography by Hoang Le
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