Taking advantage of the beautiful views and often missed opportunity of creating outdoor space, MDA Architecture recently designed a bright spark in the midst of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Park Roof House.
While walking down the street, the view from outside instantly communicates the vision that the architecture team had for this family home. Namely, a green space providing both privacy and a peaceful, luscious escape from the hectic city life that encompasses Ho Chi Minh.
Privacy and serenity
As the owners were looking to create a space in which they could both relax and rest on the weekends, as well as have privacy in a built-up neighbourhood, architects MDA Architecture came up with a unique solution through which to fully utilise all available space, while creating a myriad of areas for the family to use for time alone and their own activities.
The space was divided into two separate parts, putting a twist on the classic split-level arrangement in order to optimise the usable space at the front of the house, and ensure privacy and avoid repetition around its central atrium. Its many balcony compartments have been carefully designed to offer spaces for different family and personal activities, and resemble plant containers of different sizes, using red brick at different heights to allow them to feel separate from the interior living spaces. On these many balconies, and the variety of private spaces inside, the family is able to do exercise, practice self-care or rest under the dappled shade of the tree-top planting.
The park roof
In many built up and fast-growing cities, there is a tendency to forget the roof space as a viable option to extend the living area and build a private garden space. The design team therefore decided to extend the planting found throughout the property and create a “terrace park” for the household. With cool stone steps and terraced planting, not only does this space provide a view across the area’s rooftops, but also allows for the family to enjoy meals outside, transform the space into a more exotic botanic garden, or even plant fruit and vegetables in an inner-city garden.
The building’s cool white exterior and natural wood and brick elements indoors truly play with the surroundings, creating an oasis in which the owners can leave weekday stress behind and fully find respite on the weekends. With greenery throughout the space and its thoughtfully designed roof garden, this residence carries itself with an air of serenity, calm and natural life.
Source: archdaily.com
Images: Quang Tran
