Maison Q / Nghia-Architect

Curated by Hana Abdel

Architects: Nghia-Architect
Area: 42 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs:Nguyen Tuan Nghia
Lead Architect: Nguyen Tuan Nghia

Text description provided by the architects. Our architects were given the assignment to design a house for a family of four on just 30sqm of land that's tucked away in a small alley in Hoang Mai, Hanoi. The team decided to name this project, Maison Q. This house has all the common characteristics of a typical townhouse in Hanoi, which usually are located in difficult-to-spot alleyways.

As a matter of a fact, these types of houses are usually long and narrow which sit next to one another so the living conditions might not be ideal for families this size. The architects were sent out to deliver a solution that not only meet the owner's basic needs but also enhanced the living experience by bringing in nature and natural lighting in such a compact space.

Maison Q / Nghia-Architect - Interior Photography — © Nguyen Tuan Nghia

The architect’s team has analyzed and come up with solutions that help overcome the drawbacks of this type of housing. Despite being small in size, this house is still filled with natural light, wind, and internal green spaces. Its structure optimized the inter-connected space to create small green gardens inside that filled with sunlight. Room blocks and traffic blocks are interwoven and linked by traffic transition solutions. Different spaces are continuously open and close both vertically and horizontally throughout the whole building.

With a new and bold architectural approach, the facade was designed to challenge the norm, it looks like a contemporary sculpture, making a bold statement by combining concrete and steel to create a strong contrast between material and between straight and curve lines. Since this house faces the west, the mesh skin is shaped to tilt out toward the alley, which helps block the direct sunlight but also creates a layer to ensure the privacy of the residence. The architects decided to design a beveled facade to create a skylight and also widen the space for the veranda, which brings more light to the front yard. This house seems to be small in size but it is actually able to fulfill all of its owner’s needs and also enhance their living condition.

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