Vung Tau House: A New Approach to Vietnam Tube House Design

The Vung Tau House by Sanuki Daisuke Architects redefines Vietnam tube house design by introducing an innovative architectural solution that balances privacy, ventilation, and natural light. Located in Vung Tau, a southern Vietnamese coastal city, the house embraces the constraints of the tube house typology while incorporating open-air elements to create a bright and refreshing living environment.

The Challenge of Tube Houses in Vietnam

Vietnamese urban areas are densely packed with nhà ống, or tube houses, which occupy narrow plots of land with limited openings. These structures typically measure between 4 to 8 meters in width and up to 20 meters in depth, with only the front façade exposed to natural light and airflow. As a result, architects face the challenge of designing spaces that overcome poor ventilation and lighting while maintaining privacy in high-density neighborhoods.

The Vung Tau House addresses these issues by integrating open spaces, green elements, and cross-ventilation strategies. Rather than enclosing the house entirely, the design creates a continuous flow between indoor and outdoor spaces, reminiscent of traditional Vietnamese architecture.

Redefining Space Through Openness

The house is designed as a "blank" space between neighboring buildings, allowing for maximum natural light and airflow. The first floor serves as a base containing private rooms and play areas, while the upper floors incorporate staggered platforms that create dynamic spatial experiences. Instead of a conventional enclosed structure, open slabs and a light steel-shaded roof define the living environment.

A key feature of the house is the three-dimensional front yard, which extends from the ground floor atrium to the upper levels. This space, coupled with a secondary atrium at the rear, acts as a conduit for cool ocean breezes, enhancing cross-ventilation and reducing the need for mechanical cooling. The varying depths and levels of the floor slabs generate unique perspectives and interactions throughout the home.

Integrating Nature into Daily Life

A towering 10-meter White Champak tree is planted at the heart of the front yard, creating a green sanctuary that serves as the focal point of the residence. Surrounding this natural core, a network of stairs and bridges connects different parts of the house, allowing occupants to experience the greenery from multiple vantage points. The living, dining, and bedroom areas on the second to fourth floors seamlessly blend with the garden through large sliding and folding doors, reinforcing the sensation of living within a natural environment.

Rather than having an isolated garden within the house, the entire house is envisioned as a garden itself. This integration of nature is inspired by traditional Vietnamese homes, where open courtyards and green spaces play a vital role in daily living.

Adaptive Façade for Climate Control

Facing the harsh tropical sun, the west-facing façade is equipped with a system of angled shades designed to control light penetration while maintaining an airy and luminous atmosphere. These shades are composed of overlapping panels that shift with the movement of the sun, casting dynamic patterns throughout the day. By diffusing sunlight and preventing direct heat gain, the façade enhances indoor comfort while maintaining visual openness.

Children can move freely under the filtered light, interacting with the ever-changing shadows and lush greenery, making the house a dynamic space that evolves with the surrounding environment. This design philosophy merges traditional Vietnamese climatic adaptations with contemporary architectural innovation.

A New Standard for Vietnam Tube House Design

The Vung Tau House exemplifies a new direction for tube house architecture in Vietnam. By addressing the limitations of dense urban housing through strategic spatial organization and environmental responsiveness, the design offers a replicable model for sustainable living in compact urban settings.

Sanuki Daisuke Architects’ approach challenges conventional tube house design by prioritizing openness, greenery, and passive cooling techniques. This project not only provides a functional and comfortable living environment but also enhances the well-being of its inhabitants by fostering a connection with nature.

Vung Tau House is a groundbreaking interpretation of Vietnam tube house design, transforming a constrained urban plot into an open, breathable, and nature-infused home. Through innovative spatial strategies, passive climate control, and an integration of greenery, the project sets a new benchmark for sustainable residential architecture in Vietnam’s high-density cities. This home is more than a residence; it is a vision for the future of urban living, where nature and architecture coexist harmoniously.

All Photographs are works of Hiroyuki Oki