Floating House in Thu Duc

A HOUSE THAT ‘FLOATS’ ABOVE FLOODING

In the suburban setting of Thu Duc in Ho Chi Minh City, this curiously skeletal house was tailor-made for a young Vietnamese couple.

The architect had to address a looming threat: flooding from the nearby river during the rainy season. Other buildings in the neighbourhood have had their ground floor elevated at least 80 centimetres above the street level. In this case, the clients requested to have the first floor elevated by 1 metre. They also wish to preserve ample green space on the site, which can help absorb high volumes of excess stormwater.

RELATED: Healthy Homes: The Importance of ‘Blank Spaces’

The bare ‘floating’ concept that followed to create an exposed house is not a common one. The architecture comprises three ribbed floor slabs, sandwiching between them the living spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows and open-air corridors. 

Only the bathrooms, the entrance foyer, kitchen area and rooftop M&E storage space are walled, with the rest of spaces—even the bedroom—totally exposed with see-through glass. Trees that surround the house become a key element that offers privacy for its inhabitants.

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