Vietnamese architectural firm NAW Studio has completed a contemporary home with a unique facade that embraces sustainable design and passive air flow. Appropriately titled Flow House, the home is located just outside of Da Nang City, Vietnam (known for its high temperatures and humidity), and is made up of three structures that aid the flow of air from one section to the other.
The family home is built on a skinny plot measuring just 4.5 m (14.75 ft) wide and 25 m (82 ft) long, and is made up of three block structures. The unique architectural design of the dwelling has been created to shield the home from the sun and mitigate its west-facing façade, thus providing even and cool interior temperatures all year round, without the need for air conditioning.
In order to achieve this feat, the architects veered away from including an open-air terrace into the structure of the home, and instead came up with the idea to build a curved block-like façade with three horizontal slits for air flow. The curved surface of the façade aids airflow, while also reducing sun exposure and giving the home its sleek, modern aesthetic.
The curves of the exterior are carried through to the interior of the home, which also boasts cool timber and tiled flooring, cathedral high ceilings, crisp white walls, indoor gardens and three large skylights for an abundance of natural light. The three interior gardens, combined with the skylights and three prominent ventilation pathways into the home, work together to harness an air flow that is self-regulating and consistent.
"Passing through these gardens, you will clearly feel the wind blowing into every corner of the house," said the architects. "The lush green garden, the vitality that fills the house, the people, and the building itself all show their own flows in the common development over the years. The daily growth of the people and the house together is what both architects and homeowners wanted and is what Flow House really delivers."
The home’s floorplan has been created to suit three generations of family members – it incorporates living and sleeping quarters for the older members on the ground floor, and reserves the second floor for two children and two parents. The three structures are joined via indoor walkways and landscaped gardens, providing a calming and peaceful atmosphere for its residents.
Flow House cost 1.6 billion VND (about US$68,973) to complete and took a little over four months, which was longer than anticipated due to pandemic delays.
Source: NAW Studio via Archdaily
