Blog : Khanh Hoa

H.A Garden House: A Nature-Inspired Vacation Home Exudes Vietnamese Suburban Charm
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H.A Garden House: A Nature-Inspired Vacation Home Exudes Vietnamese Suburban Charm

/ Khanh Hoa, Vietnam /

/ Story: Kangsadan K. / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

The hustle and bustle of a city can be overwhelming. It can make most of us yearn for a countryside escape. Looking for ideas about living a quiet, more natural lifestyle? Here is a vacation home on the outskirts of Cam Lâm, a city renowned for its many beautiful beaches and sandy shores lined with coconut trees. Nestled in the southernmost corner of Khánh Hòa Province in south central Vietnam, it offers a blend of suburban charm and an oasis of serenity where time stands still.

Created by Pham Huu Son Architects, a design firm based in Nha Trang, Khánh Hòa Province, the country house offers 600 square meters of usable space, large by any standard. The property is a rectangle with a wide frontage facing the street. It’s accessible via a small road that can be busy at times due to commuters heading to and from work. For privacy reasons, the house is situated further away from the front boundary, thereby leaving a sufficient quantity of parking spots up front by the main entrance. The result is a calm and peaceful living space that prioritizes privacy, visual balance and well-being.

An artist’s rendition shows the house being built towards the back of the property, separated from the street by a parking area at the front. / Courtesy of Pham Huu Son Architects
For privacy reasons, H.A Garden house is built further away from the front property line, protected by a breeze block fence that separates it from a parking area.

The countryside retreat named “H.A Garden House” boasts large common areas that include an interior hallway, living room, kitchen and dining room with views of a water pond fringed by vibrant greenery. Together they go to work creating a serene and immersive garden oasis. For practical reasons, private living spaces are tucked away in a tidy little garden filled with natural light. It contains two bedrooms, one for the homeowners and the other for guests. They are easily accessible via a small patio adjoining the house.

The reception room is adequately illuminated with natural light, thanks to tall glass wall systems combined with a high pitched roof and light-colored furniture.
H.A Garden House
A thriving garden can be seen from inside the dining room and kitchen, thanks to tall glass wall systems that provide an unobstructed view of the outdoors.
H.A Garden House
The veranda along the outside of the house brings a refreshing change. It provides plenty of space to relax, recharge and spend time in nature.

Inspired by mountain landscapes, the roofs are set at different heights for aesthetic appeal and improved ventilation. Apart from enhancing the house’s exterior, they create a harmonious blend between the built environment and beautiful natural surroundings. In the fewest possible words, it’s a design concept that regards humans and nature as fundamentally one and the same.

H.A Garden House
A void of space between the dining room and bedrooms creates a healthy environment for plants to flourish.

What makes this house stand out is a plethora of big window ideas that provide sweeping views and open wide for better airflow coming in from nearby gardens. But wait, there’s more. A water pond in the yard also helps promote overall wellness and relaxation, while long eaves overhanging the walls of the house provide protection from the elements, ultimately keeping the home cool in summer. Briefly, the entire place just feels good the moment you step in.

H.A Garden House
A bird’s eye view shows the holiday home ensconced by shade trees that provide cooling relief and improve air quality.

Of course H.A Garden House is made for cozy holiday living. It’s one that places great emphasis on informal spaces for relaxation, socializing and bonding with others in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Above all else, it’s a design that fosters a sense of connection with nature by bringing the outdoors in. And that’s precisely the purpose of architecture. The result is a home in a rural setting that’s not only functional, but also sustainable and aesthetically pleasing.

Architect: Pham Huu Son Architects

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Office for Trees: Beautiful All-Glass Workspace amid Lush Green Gardens


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Office for Trees: Beautiful All-Glass Workspace amid Lush Green Gardens
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Office for Trees: Beautiful All-Glass Workspace amid Lush Green Gardens

/ Khanh Hoa, Vietnam /

/ Story: Kangsadan K. / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

The name “Office for Trees” may sound unfamiliar, but that’s precisely what it’s meant to be. Here’s a modern workplace adorned with shade trees, shrubbery and hanging vines strategically placed to keep the heat out and embrace the beauty of every corner of interior design.

Seen from the street, the “Office for Trees” boasts the beauty of a see-through façade overlooking a well-maintained, inviting front yard.

Located in an urban district in Khanh Hoa Province, south central Vietnam, the building bears some resemblance to a solarium from a distance. It boasts a see-through façade made up entirely of glass to admit sunlight. Inside, beautiful workspaces enclosed by glass walls are disposed around a lush interior courtyard filled with trees and a pathway giving access to all the rooms.

Taken as a whole, it’s design that speaks volumes for the concept of the sustainable use of natural resources. While the country’s economy is picking up speed, the hidden danger of rapid urban growth is real. Lack of green spaces in the city and the realities of today’s climatic conditions are permeating all facets of people’s lives, affecting their health and well-being to put it mildly.

Conscious of changes in the environment, Pham Huu Son Architects, a group of young and dynamic architects based in Khanh Hoa, set out to create a different kind of business premises by incorporating the basic elements of nature into building spaces. The result is an ultramodern office providing 650 square meters of work area that’s calm and more conducive to creativity. Plus, it’s capable of carrying out the complete functionality for a variety of business operations.

A drawing of the first floor shows the main entry area (left) in relation to a stepping-stone garden pathway lined with green plants running the entire length of the building. / Courtesy of Pham Huu Son Architects
Nature at work, a drawing of the office’s upper covering illustrates rows of skylights alternating with planter boxes filled with green plants. / Courtesy of Pham Huu Son Architects
Nature at work, a drawing of the office’s upper covering illustrates rows of skylights alternating with planter boxes filled with green plants. / Courtesy of Pham Huu Son Architects

The “Office for Trees” consists of two buildings separated by an inner courtyard. Walk in the door, and you come to an impressive office reception/waiting room connected to the main office space at the rear.

Named the “Model House”, it contains an interior mockup complete with a bedroom, dining room, kitchen and bathroom designed to give customers a feel of how the design works. Between the buildings, a lush courtyard creates a focal point in the outdoors, improves natural ventilation and opens to admit daylight.

But what makes it stand out in a crowd is the glass façade that rises from the floor to the ceiling, resulting in a bright and airy office overlooking a koi pond and a well-kept, inviting front yard.

To reconnect with nature, the reception/waiting area is hemmed in by lush vegetation with a stepping-stone garden pathway connecting the front to the back of the building. Overall the interior is simple, clean and uncluttered with only a few pieces of furniture characteristic of minimalist ideas.

The office reception room up front is glazed using clear glass that stands tall from the floor to the ceiling. The interior is light, airy and uncluttered with a few pieces of furniture characteristic of minimalist design.
Glass walls separate the ”Office for Trees” waiting room from a koi pond in the front yard adorned with lush vegetation.

A design based on mutually beneficial relationships, the “Office for Trees” is able to provide a comfortable work environment. On the outside, green plants thriving vigorously under the big hardwood canopy trees act as engine that drives natural air circulation, keeping the interior workspaces nice and cool throughout the day.

At the same time, an underground water tank keeps the gardens well supplied all year round, resulting in well-maintained landscapes. On the rooftop, solar panels provide clean and green energy, keeping the “Model House” cool and saving electricity costs.

Reconnecting with nature, a stepping-stone garden pathway lined with lush vegetation creates a sense of space in the workplace made light and airy by design.
A park table and benches provide perfect outdoor room to chill out. They sit on the top of an underground water tank, a clever hack to save floor space in the inner courtyard.

A drone’s eye view shows the “Office for Trees” rooftop covered in planter boxes filled with lush foliage alternating with skylights providing ventilation and natural daylight.

Lastly, it’s clear that green spaces, adequate lighting and good ventilation play a vital role in improving health and productivity in the workplace. Together they create an atmosphere conducive to creativity, increased energy and enthusiasm for life. Thanks to well-thought-out design, there are amazing qualities aplenty here at the Office for Trees in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam.

Architects: Pham Huu Son Architects

Lead Architect: Pham Huu Son

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Dien Khanh House: Where Modern Lifestyle and the Rural Way Intermix
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Dien Khanh House: Where Modern Lifestyle and the Rural Way Intermix

/ Khanh Hoa, Vietnam /

/ Story: Kor Lordkam / English version: Bob Pitakwong /

/ Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki /

A small white house overlooking river views merges into the countryside vernacular of Dien Khanh, a district of Khanh Hoa Province on the southeast coast of Vietnam. Built on an elongated rectangle, it has a narrow frontage to the street like other houses in the neighborhood. Yet, it’s different from the others for its ultramodern appearance. It all started with the architect trying to create a home that’s up to date and, at the same time, capable of blending into the surroundings. Ideally, it should agree with the historical and cultural setting of the place. And it has to be comfortable to live in.

Dien Khanh House

The result is a two-story home with public spaces in the downstairs layout. The front of the house plan holds the sitting room and dining room. High ceilings make the overall interior space feel light, airy and cool.

Dien Khanh House
Small green spaces on both sides of the front yard pathway add a natural touch to the main entry area.
Dien Khanh House
The living room is light, airy and cool thanks to a double-height ceiling that brings an element surprise to the interior. It’s strikingly different from the entry area where the ceiling is lower.
Dien Khanh House
A triangular rooftop skylight adds an element of playfulness to design. It illuminates a part of the interior during daylight hours.

Half way into the house plan, a spiral staircase that’s the focal point of design winds up to the second floor. Further inside, a more personal room contains small kitchen space that’s clearly separated from the bedroom for aging Mom and Dad located at the rear.

Climb a flight of stairs, and you come to two more bedrooms with an ancestral hall at the far end.

Dien Khanh House
The spiral staircase acts as a focal point for creativity in interior design.

A drawing shows the house location in the riverside neighborhood. / Courtesy of 6717 Studio
A diagram shows spatial relationships between Floors 1 and 2, plus the roof. / Courtesy of 6717 Studio
The side elevation illustrates spatial relationships between functional spaces in the home. / Courtesy of 6717 Studio

Despite it being long and narrow, the architect had no difficulty finding ways to make the interior room well-lit and well ventilated. The problem of confined spaces is resolved simply by growing a small garden in the main entry area, a natural way to create passive cooling effects in the home.

At the rear, a small backyard serves as engine that drives natural air circulation. That’s not all. At the center of the house plan, a small square courtyard adds a little bit of greenery to the interior. Together, these little green spaces go to work bringing fresh outdoor air into the home all day long.

Dien Khanh House
A corridor connects the living room in the middle to a quiet, more private living spaces at the rear.
Dien Khanh House
A square courtyard opens to admit light and fresh outdoor air into the interior.
The downstairs bedroom opens to the interior courtyard.
Dien Khanh House
The kitchen opens to the courtyard to admit light and get rid of cooking smells in the interior.

Taken as a whole, these are the key attributes that give the new home character. Plus, the roof with a high pitch is designed to perform in severe storms. It’s painted a bright shade of orange to add a new feature to the community landscape.

Combine that with simple clean lines and white walls, and it conjures up the image of a small cozy home that blends perfectly with the charm of rustic rural life.

Dien Khanh House

For privacy, the two upstairs bedrooms are separated by the center courtyard.

Dien Khanh House

Architect: 6717 Studio (6717studio.com)

Lead Architect: Le Viet Hoi

This house appears in the Special Bilingual Edition (English and Thai) of Baan Lae Suan and Living Asean, titled “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes”. It focuses on designs for cozy living in harmony with nature.

We have handpicked ten houses for this special edition that serve as the perfect example of design innovations in sync with the natural world. Front and center, it’s about the pursuit of ways to live more sustainably and create a better future for all. Looking for inspiration? Perhaps a glimpse into nature-inspired “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes” is a good place to start.

Delve into the new book today. It’s hitting Thailand shelves now. For more details, visit https://www.naiin.com/product/detail/592504

For bulk ordering, contact livingasean.bkk@gmail.com

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