Vietnamese practice Ray Architecture, offer an exemplary case study into tropical residential design with their project, the House of Light & Wind.
As the name implies, the 650sqm, 5 bedroom residence is crafted to take advantage of air flow and offer cross ventilation as well as natural light with the use of floor-to-ceiling windows, courtyards and other passive solar design techniques. Water efficiency also plays a key role in the functionality of the home as green roofs allow for the retention and recirculation of storm water.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Located in a new urban area on the Hoa Phong extended road, Viet tri City, Phu Tho province, the building with front side to the Southeast, adjacent to the 45 meters width road and the back side is North West, closed with internal road 12.5meters. Therefore, three sides of the house would be subjected to thermal effects from early morning to late afternoon and solutions for heat insulation, natural ventilation, energy savings need to be answered perfectly in concept design.
Drawings courtesy archdaily
Based on the land shape which length up to nearly 40meters, the master plan has designated with allocated function volumes, connecting by vertical and horizontal routes which running along the land depth. Thus, these volumes will be randomly enjoyed the void space filled with light, natural ventilation and green trees.
For ground floor, material used for inner and outer is the combination of natural slate stone wall, 450mm thickness. This wall not only creates a solidify image for the building but also an effective insulation wall and the glass folding door is maximum opened for the owner when needed, connecting functional volumes into a large space.
As the height of the house increased, the wider of console is made. This solution creates shelter to prevent glass doors system from direct sunlight. Wooden louver performs as a shield from the sunlight and block the direct view from outside (large widen road, adjacent house etc) into private living space. The house will fully opens but achieve necessary close.
The entire roof of the house is flat roof, there is a small area above the vertical grid for technical system and most of the roof area is designed as garden roof and fresh vegetable planted area. This layers perform as a heat insulation panel to the lower rooms. Gutter roof will collect all water to the tank below and combine with grey water of Koi pond then reuse to watering the house garden.
