Wall House by CTA | Creative Architects

Design: Bui The Long – CTA | Creative Architects
Customer: Mr. Hong Anh
Year: 2018
Location: Bien Hoa, Dong Nai, Viet Nam
Site area: 1013.4 m2
Ground floor area: 207.7 m2
Levels: 2
Construction: Viet Tin Phuc Co., Ltd
Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki

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According to recently published scientific researches, indoor air quality is more polluted than the air outside. Therefore, most of our discussions with the client point to the idea of a house that is able to ‘breathe’ 24/7 by itself. Through the design process, the Wall house was shaped gradually: A house is made up of eight separate spaces surrounded by ordinary walls. These eight blocks are interspersed and intersect at a common space, which is formed by the ‘breathing walls’.

The ‘breathing wall’ was consists of 2 elements:

The open wall system with Burnt-defective bricks is the first layer to prevent pollution from entering from the outside environment. This protective shell is made of hollow bricks that are lined up in the opposite direction of the conventional method of construction. With such arrangement, these hollow bricks afford a circulation of fresh air and natural light into the house.

The garden space is a second layer to prevent the negative impact of the external environment on the living space inside. The abundance of greenery helps to clean the air and creates an effective buffer zone.

Together, these two protection layers are equivalent to a normal wall but the important difference is they ensure the circulation of air and light, resulting in a healthier living space.

1. Location

The land is one of the gardens which is remaining in Bien Hoa city. It is located next to the Dong Nai river.

When commenced to study the concept of the house, we considered how to keep the garden in almost the same condition as before.

2. Energy

Because of “the breathing walls” and the alternate skylights, the natural light and fresh air are ventilated constantly, combining with the trees in the garden make the atmosphere in the house always cool and the lighting is harmonious. The house virtually does not need any fans, air conditioners or lighting during the day.

The wall surfaces do not use layers of finishing materials, which helps the wall surfaces be airy, not absorb heat and dry quickly after rain, suitable for tropical climates like Vietnam.

3. Environment

With features and color randomness, burnt bricks – defective products in the production process once again come to life under a new, more harmonious, and environmentally friendly shape. Besides, the ‘breathing wall’ helps to reduce costs, materials during construction, also for future maintenance.

Indoor air is always exchanged 24/24, ensuring indoor air is always fresh, light like natural outside, creating a healthy living environment.

In the home, common spaces, gardens, pine floors are located in central and connected separate spaces vertically and horizontally. That helps is both for ventilation, light, and connection of family members.

When the boundaries between solid and hollow, between inside and outside are blurred, new living space is created, where people are living closer to nature.

4. Society

The house remains the old lifestyle of the family but it creates more common space, so that family members can see each other easier, the interaction and connection between everyone are also increased.

The house still maintains the old lifestyle of family members, but creating more common spaces, making it easier for people to see each other, increasing interaction and connection.

The shared study area on the upper floor is opened to the void, connected with the “garden” below, where the grandfather is lying in a hammock, grandmother is cooking in the kitchen, the children are watching TV. All daily activities take place under the tree shade.