A Family Retreat for Reconnecting
In Vietnam’s Phú Yên province, this holiday home by Story Architecture was designed to reconnect its owners to their hometown, the surrounding nature and the local community. Studio founder Kava Nguyễn tells us more
Design Anthology: Who is the client and can you tell us about them and their lifestyle?
Kava Nguyễn: The client grew up in Vietnam’s countryside province of Phú Yên, and later studied and worked in Ho Chi Minh City. On weekends and holidays, they and their family would often go back to Phú Yên to visit relatives and take a break from the city. The first time I met the client, they shared their dream of a countryside home and how they imagined their children would experience it.
What was their brief to you for the project?
The idea was to create an interesting experience for the family’s children, so they can better communicate with nature and communicate with other children in the area to learn and share skills. The client wanted his family to be able to connect with nature, connect with the community and connect with their ancestors.
What’s unique about the building and the location?
The 420-square-metre house is located near the airport, far from any residential area. Because the family doesn’t live there permanently, we designed walls to seal the space and create a sense of security at night. The space can be opened and closed in a flexible way and the enclosing walls were patched diagonally to allow the sky to be seen from within, which makes the space feel very airy.
Please tell us a little about the material choices for the space.
We developed the project based on the client’s needs and wishes, but also on the conditions of the land, the climate and the availability of local materials. The main materials we used for the building are brick, stone, water-based paint and iron.
Do you have a favourite element or design detail in the architecture or interiors?
My favourite element is the way the views of the house change when seen from different angles.
Images / Minq Bui
