Excerpt: Kho Rèn House by M+TRO.studio is designed as a compact yet connected home that adapts to the site’s irregular shape and tropical climate. Prioritizing natural ventilation, light, and spatial fluidity, the design centers around a continuous void linking all floors and spaces. Integrating passive cooling techniques, layered facades, and sustainable materials, the residence offers a comfortable, responsive living environment.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] Kho Rèn house is a project created to serve the living needs of a young family of 5 members, spanning 2 generations. The house is built on an existing plot of land, located near the An Cựu River in Huế city, where the surrounding construction density is quite high. This plot has an area of 100 square meters and an irregular shape, with zigzag lines forming a unique and challenging design. The frontage of the plot faces west, which brings some significant disadvantages, especially with the tropical climate conditions of Central Vietnam.
Besides natural factors, another challenge is that the family’s usage needs are greater than the available land area. The land use coefficient is low because the project is near the river area, and according to general planning regulations, the height of the building is also limited, creating an asymmetry between the necessary living space and the available land area. However, despite these disadvantages, we still see the advantages of the plot, especially the nearby An Cựu River, which brings a natural cool breeze that can be optimally exploited.
In the context of the high construction density of the surrounding area, when organizing the overall space, we left a void extending from the gate to the end of the house boundary and connected the atrium to form a continuous, ventilated space. The position of this void is placed towards the An Cựu River to maximize the natural cool breeze into the building. All main living spaces will connect directly to this void, solving the problem of ventilation and natural light for the interior spaces. Additionally, family members can connect with each other through this void. With the unique shape of the plot, instead of choosing to cover the zigzag lines, we chose to create highlights with open spaces connected to the courtyard, where family members can gather, such as playing chess or having morning coffee, forming a unique feature from the plot’s shape.
On the first floor, we arranged all spaces for common activities such as the living room, kitchen, wooden floor, front and back gardens. All spaces are left open and only separated from the outside by large sliding doors, creating a large common space where family members can comfortably interact. The large sliding doors not only provide natural light and ventilation but also blur the boundary between inside and outside, making people feel more comfortable and closer to nature.
The second and third floors are for bedrooms and common living spaces. All sleeping spaces on these floors are directly connected and can move through the second floor of the rest hut and down to the garden on the first floor via a second staircase, increasing the flexible connection between spaces and family members vertically. The west-facing bedrooms are surrounded by hanging concrete walls to reduce heat and increase privacy. The fourth floor is for laundry, a terrace, and a swimming pool. The pool offers a panoramic view, providing a relaxing feeling and can also reduce heat for the lower floors. The top terrace is also an ideal place for outdoor parties, enjoying the scenery, and relaxing after a day of studying or working.
The solution to heat for the west-facing facade is two protective layers interspersed with green patches running from the first floor to the terrace. The layer directly exposed to the west sun is the hanging concrete walls and concrete brick walls. The size of the hanging concrete walls must meet two criteria: blocking direct rain and sun from the west, ensuring ventilation while maintaining the view from the building to the An Cựu River. Behind the concrete layer are green patches that help filter direct sunlight that the concrete walls cannot block. The final layer is large sliding doors to maximize the cool breeze from the river. Effective natural light and ventilation also contribute to reducing the use of artificial energy.
Each construction project generates waste to the surrounding environment. Being aware of this, when choosing materials for each position in the project, we prioritize sustainability and suitability to the climate of the location. For example, we chose concrete as the main material for the west-facing facade due to the extreme weather conditions of Central Vietnam. It helps the building suffer less damage and requires less maintenance than other materials like wood or iron. We also use steel grating panels for stairs and floors in positions needing natural light while ensuring circulation, large sliding glass doors to minimize divided views while maximizing wind intake, and wood for most interiors to create a cozy, harmonious feeling with materials like concrete, steel, or glass.
Kho Rèn house is a place, a refuge, and a shelter for family members, helping people living there comfortably during hot summer days or gathering together on cold winter days. Kho Rèn house, a place to return to.
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