Eden
Eden is a villa in Northern Vietnam near Hanoi. The project is conceptualized from the start with focus on local materials, craft traditions, and the relationship to the nearby Ecopark.
Eden is a villa in northern Vietnam near Hanoi. The project is conceptualized from the start with a focus on local materials, craft traditions, and the relationship with the nearby Ecopark township the house is part of. A consistent theme is the interplay between simple local building techniques, such as the stamped clay walls, and more advanced solutions such as the glass domes active solar shading.
the connection to the environment
The plot is next to a lake, and the plan shifts in different directions and towards the view of the water. The house is divided into three wings, separated by large glass domes, with dynamic sun shading to handle the hot climate. The three wings are made up of wooden frames that open and close in plan to frame the view, giving each wing its unique function. Large glass domes create a contrast, and tie the house together transversely with a dynamic between open and closed.
smart sunshading
Having large glass areas always induces indoor thermal comfort challenges; in cold climates it can be an interesting heat gain while in warmer climates it has an unwanted greenhouse effect. Because the characteristic weather of Vietnam is rather hot and humid an indoor climate strategy had to be developed. The domes have tunable smart glass that is able to block out sunlight or let it through as desired.
local Rammed earth
This project pioneers the application of rammed earth, a technique where walls are created by compacting natural raw materials such as earth, chalk, lime, or gravel. It is the first true use of the technique in Vietnam, where this type of building would normally have been made with standard concrete instead. While not eliminating cement fully, it cuts the total used volume down massively. And the material has a beautiful, natural finish as a bonus.
