TH house

Location
The TH house project is located on a cramped plot in a densely built-up area of the enormous metropolis of Hanoi. With the rapid development of the capital since the economic reforms of Doi Moi in 1986, there has been a significant increase in the population due to migration from rural areas. Present-day Hanoi is a place where the dynamics of a large city with 8 million inhabitants intertwines with cultural traditionalism, enormous building density, a lack of public space, and a gradual loss of cultural identity due to accelerated economic growth.
The house's plot, measuring 4x6m, is surrounded by neighboring houses and has only a front facade facing a narrow alley just 1.2m wide. The local quarter is characterized by the informal arrangement of narrow houses on small plots connected by narrow alleys. With such complicated entry conditions, the architects had to address the design of a contemporary house reflecting local cultural identity and the needs of a Hanoi family.

Concept
The main intention of the narrow five-story house is to maximize access to daylight and natural ventilation, the incorporation of greenery, and the spatial connection of all floors so that family members can visually communicate between levels. Family ties in Hanoi and generally in Vietnam are extremely important, so this aspect is integrated into the house. Open living spaces and a fully glass facade, with the option for shading to create privacy, facilitate socialization within the family and with neighbors.

Spatial Arrangement
Given the existing challenging conditions of the plot, the house has only one narrow front facade, which is very close to the neighboring house across the street. The distance between the facades is only one meter on the upper floors. The architects designed this northern street facade as entirely glass to maximize the transfer of natural light and to create a greater sense of space. The diversity of ceiling heights also contributes to the perception of increased space and the spatial diversity of small living conditions. The solution of vertical arrangement in the TH house allows for fresh air access and natural ventilation, which is vital in the humid and warm climate there.
On the ground floor of the house is the kitchen and dining area, where important culinary activities of the family take place. This space is designed to let in maximum daylight from the roof level through a skylight and the gap between the offset volume of the upper floor and the main perimeter structures. The front of the kitchen also serves as the main entrance to the house from the public alley, as is often customary in the area. By opening generous sliding entrance doors to the alley, a more suitable connection is established between the surrounding neighbors and the family.
The living room space, where many family activities concentrate, is arranged in the central part of the house on the third floor. This main living area is located between the parents' bedroom on the second floor and the children's room on the fourth floor. The highest fifth floor is designed as a room for the family altar and laundry space with the possibility of access to an outdoor garden terrace area with trees, overlooking the surrounding dense development.

Greenery
Hanoi faces a significant lack of greenery in public spaces. Greenery, within the context of the local subtropical climate, serves as a functional element that can provide shading of streets and reduce temperatures in the city. It is also important to focus on the microclimate of the living space itself within the densely built environment. The greenery within the interiors and outdoor front gardens enhances the quality of life in the TH house. The arrangement and type of plant material are chosen based on light conditions and spatial possibilities. Large spatial planters for planting greenery are connected to an automatic irrigation system, making subsequent maintenance easier. Apart from the functional aspect of improving the house's microclimate, greenery also contributes to mental and physical relaxation and calmness away from the hectic urban life. The architects' intention is to connect people with a piece of nature within compact living in a densely built area.

The efforts of the architects in the TH house project aim to seek answers to the significant challenges of modern dynamic development in Hanoi with a high density of population and construction.