Blog : tube house

A White Row House Enchanted by Greenery and Natural Light

A White Row House Enchanted by Greenery and Natural Light

/ Vung Tau, Vietnam /

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

/ Photographs: Apinine Thassanopas /

Greetings from Vung Tau, a coastal city about two hours by car or ferry from Ho Chi Minh City. Like everything else across Vietnam, it’s the very picture of an urban landscape dominated by long and narrow houses uniformly sized as part of a continuous row. They are nicknamed “Tube Houses” for the shape that’s much longer than it is wide. The same is true for this white row house in Vung Tau that has since been renovated, beautifully integrating elements of nature in the house plan. The result is a complete home makeover enchanted by the magic of light and shadow in architecture. Plus, a green garden oasis gives it great aesthetic pleasure.

The fresh white house exterior stands out from the rest.
Diagrams illustrate space utilization at every level of the house plan. / Courtesy of SDA (Sanuki Daisuke Architects)

The stunning white row house has five levels including the rooftop deck. It towers above everyone else in the neighborhood. The first floor holds a carport giving access to a room for guest accommodation tucked away at the rear. In the in-between space, a flight of stairs leads to the homeowner’s private residential areas located upstairs. The second floor contains a spacious living room with dining room and kitchen nearby.

The first floor holds a carport up front with a passage giving access to a bedroom for guest accommodation and a hobby room at the rear.
A flight of stairs gives access all the rooms and functionalities located upstairs.
A bi-fold door system opens from one end to the other, connecting the second floor living room with a nearby courtyard.

The quiet and secluded third and fourth floors hold bedrooms for family members. They are conveniently connected to the fifth floor that’s a rooftop deck filled with terraced vegetable gardens. There are bright interior courtyards adorned with lush foliage and a shade tree thriving in the middle of the floor plan illuminated by rooftop skylights.

The white row house consists of spacious platforms, staircases and passageways enclosed with walls. At the center of the floor plan, a tree rises from the courtyard below filling the void of space all the way to the rooftop.
white row house
The third floor room with a high ceiling has a view of functional spaces within the home.

Overall, it’s an outstanding design showcasing well-thought-out spatial arrangements. Among others, semi-outdoor living areas up front bear some resemblance to a porch or a patio, only they are nicer and bigger than the average room size in the house.

white row house
The bedroom with a courtyard view. Well-thought-out design turns every room into a breath of fresh air.

As the architect intended, they evoke pleasant memories of open public spaces in the city. Sunny and airy with lush leaves at every turn, they take up much of the space between the front façade and the midpoint of the house plan on the second and third floors.

white row house

Meanwhile, the breathing façade allows fresh outdoor air to enter and circulate inside. Exceptionally good is the third floor living area that benefits a double height ceiling. It’s an enchanted garden where house plants grow vigorously in full sun shining in through rooftop skylights.

white row house

Needless to say, the most important element of design is the perforated metal façade painted a cool-toned white. Built in a uniform style, it starts from the ground up and rises all the way to the uppermost point, ultimately becoming a part of the rooftop. From sunrise to sunset, perforated metal panels cast shadows on the walls and floors directly underneath them.

white row house
A living room is filled with greenery thriving in containers, while the perforated façade and rooftop paneling cast shadows on the walls and floors.

Besides letting the fresh air and sunshine stream into the interior, they work in tandem with shade trees and understory plants in the yards, filling the rooms with the magic of a light and shadow show. Like poetry in motion, the show goes on all day as time passes, adding unique and unusual features to a beautiful work of architecture.


Architect: SDA (Sanuki Daisuke Architects)


This house appears in the special Baan Lae Suan issue on the theme of “ ” is out now. Design lovers, this one is for you. It’s the latest in the ongoing “ ”.
The exciting new bilingual edition (Thai-English) is a nice little collab between the Baan Lae Suan Press and its English language media arm Living ASEAN. It’s the coming together of ideas for dealing with the problem of limited space, turning site constraints into solutions. Precisely, it looks at problem solving techniques, ultimately creating small urban homes that are right within the context of Southeast Asia. In this issue, ten houses are chosen for their exemplary designs that inspire. It’s meant for architects, designers, and homeowners searching out new ideas for creating a living space that’s cozy and comfortable plus it blends in beautifully with the environment.
Available at bookstores nationwide. Or go online. Order now at https://www.naiin.com/product/detail/621643
For bulk international orders, contact livingasean.bkk@gmail.com


You may also like…

X