A new house in the southern province of Tra Vinh reimagines a traditional layout, blending Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese elements. 

This two-floor house is situated on a 300 square meter plot in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh. It reflects the blend of different cultures that the province is home to - Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese. The house, home to 5 people, also combines modern and traditional elements in the most harmonious manner.  

The house is aptly named Cu Va Moi (Old and New). Architect Dang Duc Hoa and Nguyen Viet Khoa have designed this house using an outer shell with raw bricks and a layout inspired by a traditional Vietnamese house with three chambers.

In a traditional house, there is a main chamber in the middle of the house and two bedrooms on either side. However, since this house is situated in a veritcal-rectangle shape, the three chambers are arranged in a vertical structure, one in front of the other.

A layer of exposed brick walls is built on the outside, covering the entire house. This layer acts as a filtering membrane to regulate the inner temperature.

Spacious corridors and empty spaces between the floors give the house plenty of ventilation.

Both the roof and the surrounding walls are made with tiles with gaps that allow natural light to come in while providing shade. Above the tiled roof is a protective glass-plastic roofing layer. This keeps the house cool while allowing it receive natural light.

Behind the brick wall is a glass door which keeps the house bright and keeps fierce winds and rain at bay.

The living room, dining room and the kitchen are all connected in way that adds to the spacious feel of the house.

The bathroom has modern furniture and equipment.

The bedroom has a simple design with a glass door and wooden and raw brick walls.

Photos by Quang Dam