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On a Rustic Asian Home at the foothills of Annamese Cordillera, central Vietnam, Hue people hold the role of family in high regard, placing family ties above everything else. These values led one family of adult children to commission a home design in which their elderly parents could enjoy retirement from leisure hobbies and gardening. Designed by an architectural firm Limdim House Studio, this 75 square meter home was designed to be easily habitable for the elderly couple, with a comfortable but minimalist aesthetic. Traditional, rustic elements have been used to achieve a quiet appeal that is reminiscent of childhood in the countryside. An open interior plan promotes natural light and ventilation.
Although Hue is one of the largest cities in Vietnam, the lifestyle is very peaceful. This quiet spirit is conveyed in a traditional home exterior where rustic stone walls attractively contain a welcoming courtyard. Local to the city of Hue, an ancient style of simple clay tiles, called “Liệt” tiles, gives the home exterior its traditional coronation. A modest window of glass wash window interrupts a warm, buff image.
Plant beds on either side of the gate entrance lay a green welcome into the front yard. Inside the gates, two outdoor chairs and a small coffee table sit on the sun-stained tile. Directly behind the outdoor seat, a large window draws a connection with the interior space.
Double doors give entrance into the home by a stepped concrete threshold. Small planters adorn one side of the wide front entrance, while a new head-shaped planter looks at the other.
Inside the home, a minimalist arrangement was planned as the most convenient, low-maintenance solution for the elderly couple. The sitting room features a custom built sofa design with storage subtly under its concrete base. A low chair and coffee table make up the rest of the small seat, where a glass vase provides a simple centerpiece.
The concrete sofa base also forms the foot of a modern staircase design, with black metal balustrades forming a striking pattern. On the 100m2 site, only 50m2 was used in the footprint of the home. The rest of the plot was left available for growing vegetables and flowers and enjoying a quiet lifestyle.
The home is used almost exclusively by the retired couple, so the compact living space is concise and functional for two. The kitchen island is a multi-purpose piece that is used to prepare food, cook on the kitchen counter and eat, which frees up floor space for other things and activities.
The interior of the house is lighted with a rustic indoor-outdoor appeal. A large stone feature wall climbs the double-height dwelling, creating a natural tonal beauty that invites the eye to wander to high altitudes.
A number of wooden bar stools line the front of the concrete kitchen island, while wooden cupboards build a panel of rich wood tone across the back of the open concept room. The door to the left of the kitchen leads to a guest room, while the other enters a powder room.
A wall full of lush windows in the double high void ventilates the home. A wooden ceiling fan helps air circulation.
The modern staircase design climbs to a narrow mezzanine landing, where access to the master bedroom is made by a wall of glass sliding doors.
A glass roof gives the shower room a bright and open outdoor shower feel. A rustic ladder board completes another attractive stone feature wall that wraps around the wet belt.
A guest room on the ground floor faces the entrance courtyard. A wooden desk is joined with a small wall mirror to form a flexible space that can be used for writing tasks or as a toilet. In addition to the traditional unit, a glass vase filled with flowers creates a homey touch.
Upstairs in the mezzanine bedroom, the stone-headed wall fits perfectly into the en-suite bathroom design, which is separated by a clear glass wall. The glazed wall lets natural light into the room and increases visual space. The daylight filters through a striking terracotta block bathroom wall that creates a pattern of arches.
The bedroom is minimal but serves the needs of the homeowners most appropriately
Back on the mezzanine landing, a traditional lounge chair is inserted into an unused corner to create a comfortable reading area.
Ground floor plan, showing the compact open plan living space with kitchen and dining rooms, plus two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The courtyard design behind the fence gate was designed to promote an intimate atmosphere that would evoke memories of childhood for the retired couple. Recovered simple clay tiles and blocks of baked bricks were assembled to draw parallels with traditional houses in the countryside, and to paint a quiet palette of earthy brown tones.
Mezzanine floor with landing and sliding glass wall access to the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom.
Section drawing, shows the rustic contrast of stone, wood, concrete, and nostalgic clay roof tiles. The bricks that were picked up from old houses served the new house with a traditional color palette. The material palette built notoriety that helped house the old homeowners in their new environment. This diagram also illustrates how the sun path affected the window sill, and how ventilation mapping created ultimate comfort within the home.
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