- Project: Sustainable Weekend Villa
- Architect: T3 Architects
- Location: Vietnam, Ho Tram
- Year: 2023
- Area: 250 m2
- Photography: Phu Dao
A Tropical Retreat of Serenity and Sustainability
Nestled in the coastal greenery of Ho Tram, just a short distance from Ho Chi Minh City, Sustainable Weekend Villa by Kanopea Architecture Studio and T3 Architects redefines the notion of a modern tropical getaway. Designed as a tranquil escape for a young family, the villa fuses eco-responsible architecture, material frugality, and bioclimatic comfort within an elegant, single-story composition that disappears into the landscape.
The project follows a simple philosophy—live lightly, breathe freely, and coexist with nature. Its form, materials, and layout are entirely shaped by the region’s climate and ecology.
Concept & Layout: A Home in Dialogue with the Site
The design responds directly to its tropical surroundings. The villa is arranged as a T-shaped plan, dividing the plot into distinct functional wings while maximizing natural cross-ventilation and outdoor connectivity.
- The main volume houses open-plan living, dining, and kitchen spaces—completely transparent toward the garden and pool.
- The private wing, oriented perpendicular to the access road, contains bedrooms and a small office, creating an acoustic and visual buffer between the lively family areas and the outside world.
- A gym pavilion and outdoor dining terrace extend into the garden, connecting daily life to the natural rhythms of sun, shade, and breeze.
This configuration maintains privacy, ensures airflow from the sea, and forms a seamless threshold between architecture and landscape.
Bioclimatic Principles & Passive Comfort
Every design decision stems from Vietnam’s tropical climate. The architects carefully studied solar orientation, rainfall patterns, and prevailing winds to optimize thermal comfort without mechanical dependence.
Key passive strategies include:
- Wide roof overhangs that shade façades and terraces from sun and monsoon rain.
- A 20–30 cm thick rice-husk insulation layer in the roof, providing remarkable heat resistance while reusing agricultural by-products.
- Lightweight concrete block walls with internal air cavities to reduce thermal inertia and encourage ventilation.
- Ceiling fans and sliding glass partitions that enhance air circulation and reduce air-conditioning demand.
- Rainwater harvesting and locally adapted vegetation for sustainable water management.
The outcome is a home that remains several degrees cooler than its environment, naturally lit and ventilated throughout the day.
Materiality & Craft: Honesty and Warmth
Material selection embraces simplicity, locality, and longevity. The architects prioritized natural and regional materials with minimal processing:
- Concrete and timber form the structural base.
- Rice-husk insulation replaces industrial foam or synthetic materials.
- Terracotta tiles, bamboo screens, and lime render evoke a tactile, regional charm.
- Local artisans executed custom details, from cabinetry to joinery, reinforcing the connection between craft and place.
These materials will age gracefully, acquiring patina while maintaining performance—expressing the project’s respect for time and environment.
Light, Landscape & Experience
Daylight filters softly through the roof apertures and bamboo screens, creating a dynamic play of shadows that evolves with time. Sliding glass doors dissolve the boundary between interior and garden, allowing the villa to breathe.
The outdoor dining area, elevated slightly above ground level, lets the family enjoy tropical evenings in comfort, shielded from humidity and insects. The master bathroom garden, semi-open and roof-covered, embodies the project’s biophilic essence—private yet naturally lit and ventilated.
Landscape design enhances the villa’s ecological character: native plants, fruit trees, and groundcovers attract biodiversity while requiring minimal upkeep—essential for a weekend retreat.
Light Design & Ambience
Kobi Lighting Studio collaborated on the lighting design, integrating soft, low-impact illumination that highlights the architecture’s textures and rhythms. By minimizing glare and light pollution, the system mirrors the project’s sustainable ethos, ensuring energy efficiency and visual comfort at night.
A New Model for Sustainable Tropical Living
Sustainable Weekend Villa / Kanopea + T3 Architects / Vietnam is more than a vacation home—it is a prototype for responsible luxury. Through passive design, local sourcing, and mindful simplicity, the architects demonstrate how beauty can coexist with sustainability.
This project reimagines tropical architecture for the future: light, breathable, and in complete harmony with nature—a sanctuary that proves sustainability is not a style, but a way of life.
