Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Cascading Levels Bring Light and Air Into a Narrow Home in Vietnam

Cascading Levels Bring Light and Air Into a Narrow Home in Vietnam

Double Roof House in Ho Chi Minh City opens onto a front courtyard that holds the family’s drink stall business.

Built for a family that runs a small business out of their home, Double Roof House by Khuon Studio is slotted between two buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The house is set back on the narrow lot, making space for a front courtyard and the drink stall that the family operates. Aside from this commercial aspect, the architects Huynh Anh Tuan, Ngo Quang Hau, and Le Dinh Tan devised a family-friendly plan that would help mitigate heat and humidity.



Double Roof House, a residence and small business designed by Khuon Studio, sits on a narrow lot that measures 44 by 183 feet in Ho Chi Minh City.



The home, which features two corrugated metal roofs that create natural ventilation for the interior, is set toward the rear of the lot, providing courtyard space for the owners’ drink stall business.

The front facade of the dynamic, multilevel home is characterized by a series of balconies and window frames painted bright yellow and orange. "The elevation is [visually] complicated, so we tried to balance this by using color," Tuan says. A sunshine yellow, corrugated metal roof extends to shade the balconies and a portion of the courtyard, where the drink stall is situated. "The overhang roof is painted yellow for emphasis while the rest of the facade is simply white," Tuan says. "The white walls, yellow and orange accents, and greenery are a simple yet effective combination."



Three brightly colored balconies and an overhanging roof define the home’s front facade.



The front courtyard is filled with lush greenery, creating an inviting storefront for the business.

The yellow metal roof is a secondary layer that floats above the innermost roof, which was also constructed with corrugated metal. "The double roof creates natural ventilation," Tuan explains. "It’s light and provides excellent insulation-the buffer gap between the roofs greatly reduces the influx of heat into the house by convection."



Large glass doors fold open, joining the living room and kitchen with the front courtyard.



The open-plan kitchen is finished with wood cabinetry, a bright white tile backsplash, and concrete flooring.

Massive glass doors that fold open link the interior with the courtyard and drink stall, creating one fluid space between indoors and out. "The full-width doors allow the expansion of the drink shop when necessary," Tuan explains.



A skylight at the top of the staircase, which winds around a carambola tree, floods the interior with sunlight.



Sunlight interacts with the carambola tree, casting shadows onto the wooden stair treads.

Sunlight pours into the living room via an atrium, where a staircase wraps around a carambola, or star fruit, tree. "The atrium acts as a green core for the house," Tuan says. The other common areas are left open to enjoy this influx of light and create a more family-oriented atmosphere. "We used partial levels to ensure that the areas feel more connected, spacious, airy, and a bit more interesting," says the architect.



The living area and the office are arranged on split levels, adding an open, convivial quality to the home. A small staircase is incorporated into the desk and accesses the living area.



The child’s bedroom loft is situated on a split level and overlooks the living area.



A reading nook is built into a window frame in the primary bedroom, where hexagonal terracotta tile lends color and texture.

The architects created more interest in the primary bedroom by including a reading nook by a large window that overlooks the atrium and the child’s study. To maximize living space and create whimsy, the child’s bedroom and study are arranged on split levels.



The tall and slender home’s split levels and indoor/outdoor quality make it feel larger than its modest size.

"The design, though simple, successfully addresses the issue of a microclimate," Tuan says. "The double-roof system of the house has proven effective, giving the family great comfort during summer days in Ho Chi Minh City."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×