- Project: Cam Hai House
- Architect: Idee architects
- Location: Afghanistan, Cam Hai Dong, Khanh Hoa Province
- Year: 2022
- Area: 450 m2
- Photography: Trieu Chien
Nestled in the coastal village of Cam Hai Dong in Khanh Hoa Province, Cam Hai House by Idee Architects is a masterful dialogue between climate, landscape, and contemporary tropical living. Surrounded by lush greenery and open sky, the residence transforms a seaside plot into a calm, shaded refuge that blurs the boundary between home and garden.
Rather than imposing a rigid architectural presence, Idee Architects approach Cam Hai House as an exercise in soft integration — lowering mass, opening courtyards, and embracing natural ventilation to create a home that functions as seamlessly outdoors as indoors. The result is a breezy, daylight-filled sanctuary designed for Vietnam’s coastal climate.
A low, porous home shaped by tropical breezes
The design of Cam Hai House is guided by one essential condition: airflow. Positioned between mountains and sea, Cam Hai Dong receives consistent coastal breezes. Idee Architects capitalize on this by developing a horizontal plan with interconnected voids, gardens, and breezeways.
Instead of one monolithic block, the house comprises multiple staggered volumes, each carefully rotated and spaced to create shaded pockets and channels of natural ventilation. This porosity turns the home into a dynamic climate-responsive organism — always open, always breathing.
Deep roof overhangs and generous verandas shield interior spaces from harsh sun, while wide openings ensure cool air travels across living, sleeping, and social zones throughout the day.
Courtyards as living rooms of nature
Central to the project are a series of courtyards — open-to-sky spaces that act as anchors for daily life. These courtyards serve several roles:
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Pulling light deep into the floorplan
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Creating green views from every room
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Allowing cross-ventilation
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Offering semi-outdoor spaces for rest, reading, or family gatherings
Each courtyard is planted with local vegetation, reinforcing the strong connection between architecture and the natural surroundings. Morning sunlight filters through trees onto textured concrete surfaces, while evening shadows stretch across the garden floors, giving the house a constantly shifting atmosphere.
Material palette inspired by the coast
Cam Hai House employs a restrained yet tactile palette that reflects the simplicity of coastal life:
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Raw concrete for walls and slabs
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Local stone for exterior flooring and pathways
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Timber accents for warmth and natural contrast
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Large glass panels to dissolve visual boundaries
The materials age gracefully under coastal humidity and sunlight, developing subtle patinas that integrate the home even further into its environment. Indoors, the palette continues in softer tones: lime-washed surfaces, pale woods, and natural fabrics create a calm, resort-like tranquility.
Open living spaces with seamless transitions
The heart of Cam Hai House is an expansive open-plan living area that flows directly into gardens on two sides. Sliding glass walls retract fully, allowing the living room to merge with the landscape. Cooking, lounging, and entertaining unfold against a backdrop of greenery, fresh air, and filtered natural light.
Bedrooms are positioned in quieter wings of the house, each with its own garden view and private outdoor access. Bathrooms are designed as semi-open sanctuaries, featuring potted plants, pebble floors, and screens that let breezes in while preserving privacy.
A rooftop terrace for horizon views
Above the main living spaces, a roof terrace offers panoramic views toward the distant sea and coastal hills. This elevated outdoor room becomes the perfect setting for sunrise coffee, sunset gatherings, or stargazing on clear tropical nights. Lightweight seating and potted greenery reinforce its role as a peaceful outdoor extension of the home.
Tropical sustainability through design, not gadgets
Cam Hai House exemplifies sustainability achieved through passive design principles, not mechanical systems:
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Natural cross-ventilation reduces dependency on air-conditioning
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Shaded courtyards cool the house naturally
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Deep eaves protect facades from heat gain
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High thermal mass walls regulate indoor temperature
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Native plants support biodiversity and require minimal maintenance
The architecture harmonizes with its environment instead of resisting it — a crucial approach in Vietnam’s warm, humid climate.
A modern retreat rooted in place
Cam Hai House stands out not through extravagance, but through its serene simplicity. It is a home that embraces its coastal context, prioritizes the comfort of its occupants, and celebrates the timeless pleasures of tropical living: soft air, filtered sunlight, and lush greenery.
Through thoughtful spatial sequencing, rich textural contrasts, and climate-sensitive design, Idee Architects offer a model for modern Vietnamese residences that remain deeply connected to nature. Cam Hai House is not just a dwelling — it is a retreat, a rhythm of inside-outside living shaped by the coastal breeze.
