Original story: https://www.archdaily.com/1020130/yen-bai-villa

In recent years, urbanization has taken place very rapidly in the major cities of Vietnam, especially in the center of Hanoi, leaving behind little to no space for families and children to interact and connect with nature. When we received the design brief for a weekend home for a young family, we thought of a living space where people could gather on weekends with their loved ones with all the amenities needed for a modern lifestyle. Not only that, but it will also be a space where family members get more exposure to nature, creating moments of warmth and relaxation throughout their day. The construction site is in the hilly region northwest of Hanoi's outskirts, surrounded by natural forests and many indigenous cultural characteristics. 

From PAK's point of view, this vast natural forest is a fair-handed habitat where people and creatures live and develop intuitively. This gave us a rather interesting insight: bird nests are the residence of birds in nature, and the image of a bird nest always came up as a genuine object in the minds of children. So, we think that when humans return to nature, they will also need a nest of their own. From there, we developed an idea of a "nest" that a family can comfortably inhabit, with interesting and connected living spaces.

The common living space is the main priority when we design this project. We have thought about the moment of reunion, so this space should support activities that connect the family members. We have designed the entire first floor for this function. The secondary function is located on the west side of the house, along with the planting of large trees to hinder the effect of the western sun in the afternoon. The common living space maximizes the panoramic view of the project's plot while establishing a connection to the outdoor playground and swimming pool. The main emphasis of the interior space is a large void that creates interactions between the different spaces inside. By creating a house with unity, from the outside to the inside, we try to create plenty of interesting scenes. The void is where the staircase and hallway connect; it also provides space for natural air ventilation.

By using the whole first floor as a shared space and pushing the bedrooms to the 2nd floor, the design creates terraces and hallways underneath that act as buffer spaces, ensuring the natural transformation of the outside space into the inside space. This also helps reduce the influence of rain and the western sun on the interior spaces. On the top of the building, the slanted roof interacts with the shape of the surrounding natural landscape. The column's structure helps propel the 2nd-floor rooms and the roof system above with the use of raw and familiar materials that inspire strong sensory reactions, such as stone, wood, concrete, etc. The design references the traditional "Nha San" house (a typical yet culturally rich typology of a house belonging to the mountainous ethnic minority of the North Western region).

The project embodies different spaces designed in harmony that provides an exciting living environment. Each space has its exciting stories that the architect wishes to transfer over, hoping that it will help the owner to have a comfortable and enjoyable time with their family. We also wish that it will help set the course for future projects in this region, minimizing the negative impact on the overall landscape.