Cao House

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Cao House
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Cao House
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LOCATION Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
STATUS Completed – 2021
SITE AREA 276m2
CONTRACTOR Dong Nhan Co. Ltd
Minh Chuong Co. Ltd
Searefico E&C JSC
HTC Window
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Quoc Hung Co. Ltd – Tran Dinh Hai
PHOTOGRAPHS Trieu Chien
Pham Nguyen Hai Quang
Vu Tan Liem
DESIGN TEAM Nguyen Duc Bao Toan
Phan Thao Ngoc
Phan Thoai Lien
Nguyen Thi Bich Tram
Vu Tan Liem
Pham Nguyen Hai Quang
Ho Huy Phong
Do Tran Mai Anh

This project was executed for a special client, who is a long-time friend as well as an important customer.

Despite spanning a width of 10 meters, the house remains a quintessential townhouse by being permitted to utilize nearly the entire land area for construction. In the initial stage, the client had many desires regarding the functionality of their residence. Primarily, the request was to integrate residential space on the upper levels with office areas below. The architectural blueprint for Cao House was completed after three years of development, following careful consideration and adjustments to meet the client’s preferences.

The townhouse typology features two elongated boundary walls. We decided to use them as the main structure of the building, fulfilling both load-bearing responsibilities and defining the house’s external facade and internal layout. These two walls are conceptualized with the image of “a boa constrictor digesting an elephant” (from “The Little Prince” by Saint Exupéry), where the ‘elephant’ houses utilitarian zones such as vertical circulations, restrooms, and technical shafts are placed. The exposed concrete is employed both indoors and outdoors due to its modesty that evokes both visual and tactile experience, truthfully showcasing the underlying structure.

Between the two “boas” lies an uninterrupted living area stretching along the length of the house. The main features creating this space include white marble floor, wooden slat ceiling, along with soft light penetrating through wooden louvers, voile curtains, and a lightwell from the roof. These elements create a serene, elegant and cozy place amidst a noisy, bustling urban milieu.