MOM House: A Tribute to Mother by Nha Cua Gio

Introduction

The MOM House (MOM: Mother of Mine) is a heartfelt residential project by Nha Cua Gio in Vietnam, celebrating maternal love, memory, and heritage. Completed in 2020, this home is a personal tribute to the client’s mother, reflecting Vietnamese tradition, sustainable architecture, and modern living.

The project stems from a deeply emotional story: thirty years ago, the client’s family lost their childhood home due to hardship. After his father passed away, his mother worked tirelessly to raise him. Now, the client wished to build a home that honors her sacrifices while reconnecting with their hometown roots.

Design Concept: Tradition Meets Modernity

Drawing from the client’s childhood memories, the architects created a home that echoes the rustic charm of traditional Northern Delta houses, while incorporating a modern structural system.

Key traditional elements include:

• Sloping roofs and patios
• Inner courtyards and thresholds
• Earthenware jars (“ong” jar)
• Antique ceramic tiles and gravel walls
• Craft materials from Vietnamese craft villages

The design carefully balances historical aesthetics with contemporary comfort, preserving cultural heritage while providing modern functionality.

Spatial Organization and Courtyards

The plot is narrow and deep, bordered by neighboring buildings. To optimize daylight, ventilation, and family interaction, the house is organized into open and closed spaces divided by four courtyard voids.

• Split-level layout: Creates dynamic visual connections as residents move through the home.
• Interaction focus: Every room maintains a relationship with other spaces, encouraging family togetherness.
• Ventilation and sunlight: The layout channels southeast breezes and blocks harsh western sun, promoting natural comfort.

Roof Design and Environmental Responsiveness

Unlike typical tube houses that maximize height but isolate ground and upper levels, MOM House integrates traditional Vietnamese roof techniques:

• Sloping roof: Extends from ground to first floor, creating a sense of a countryside home.
• Veranda and low gate: Evoke the charm of a one-story traditional house.
• Roof manipulation: One corner lowered to block sunlight, another lifted to capture summer sea breezes.
• Rainwater management: Slight roof crease directs water to an ong jar in the yard, replicating historical Vietnamese methods.

Materials: Sustainable and Cultural

MOM House emphasizes eco-friendly, durable, and low-maintenance materials, carefully selected to honor local traditions and sustainability goals:

• Eco-conscious materials: Unbaked bricks, gray laterite stone, slate, cobblestone, foamed concrete, VOC-free paint
• Traditional aesthetics: Embossed tiles with lotus motifs from the Ly Dynasty, Bat Trang ceramic tiles, ornamental screen doors, vintage door latches

The combination ensures the house is both environmentally responsible and visually authentic, contributing positively to the local urban fabric.

MOM House by Nha Cua Gio is more than a residence—it is a living tribute to motherhood, heritage, and Vietnamese culture. Through careful spatial planning, sustainable materials, and traditional detailing, the home blends memory, comfort, and modern design, creating a timeless space for family life.

All the photographs are works of Trinh Hai Long