- Project: The HIÊN House
- Architect: Winhouse Architecture
- Location: Vietnam, Hoa Quy, Da Nang
- Year: 2023
- Area: 350 m2
- Photography: Quang Dam
In Da Nang’s expanding suburban district of Hoa Quy, The HIÊN House by Winhouse Architecture redefines what a multigenerational Vietnamese home can be—rooted in craft, deeply familiar in spirit, yet gracefully adapted to modern urban life. Designed for a three-generation family of traditional woodworkers, the 3,767-square-foot residence revives rural spatial logic, localized materials, and vernacular climate strategies, weaving them into a contemporary dwelling that feels both ancestral and enduringly sustainable.
At its core lies the “hiên”—the veranda. In Central Vietnam’s tropical climate, the hiên is far more than a threshold; it is a buffer, a communal living platform, a climatic filter, and a cultural symbol. Winhouse Architecture builds the entire project around this idea, infusing shaded transitional zones, porous boundaries, and garden-linked interiors that echo countryside life while addressing the realities of a dense, rapidly urbanizing region.
Returning Home: A Design Rooted in Memory
The clients’ lineage in woodworking profoundly shaped the architectural narrative. Generations were raised among timber scents, carpentry tools, and rural verandas. As the family relocated to the city edge, they sought not a new identity but continuity. Winhouse Architecture honored this by incorporating vernacular elements—a wide hiên, open circulation, and familiar spatial sequencing—to ensure that daily ritual and memory remained intact.
Instead of imposing a metropolitan aesthetic, the architects reinterpreted the rural home’s essential qualities: shelter, shade, communal gathering, and a rhythmic connection to outdoors. This approach offers emotional comfort and eases the transition to urban context without disrupting the family’s ingrained way of living.
Wood as Heritage, Wood as Architecture
Wood is not an applied finish here; it is heritage made visible. Much of the material is salvaged from older constructions, then restored by members of the family themselves.
It is used to:
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form the roof structure,
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craft the staircase,
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and shape interior furniture and built-ins.
No chemical coatings were applied—the grain, patina, and imperfections remain untouched, carrying forward the authenticity of time. This reuse approach enhances sustainability while reducing material costs and celebrating the family’s generational craft.
The HIÊN as Climate Strategy
In Central Vietnam’s heat and monsoon conditions, the hiên performs as climatic infrastructure. The home’s long verandas and sheltered transitions:
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reduce solar exposure,
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allow cross-ventilation,
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create shaded semi-outdoor rooms,
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and act as living expansions throughout the day.
Rather than sealing itself off from its environment, The HIÊN House breathes—a quality inherited from traditional Vietnamese rural dwellings where indoor and outdoor life are inseparable.
Nature as Companion in Daily Life
A clear design ambition was to reconnect the family with nature through daily routine. Green spaces flow through living rooms, kitchens, and circulation routes, creating constant sensory contact with plants, herbs, breeze, and filtered light.
The garden program includes:
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fragrant herbs that naturally repel pests,
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beneficial plant species to encourage ecological balance,
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and a family vegetable garden that supplies fresh produce.
These micro-ecosystems create pockets of coolness, soften the architecture, and foster an atmosphere reminiscent of countryside living—an essential comfort for a family with deep rural roots.
Sustainable Construction Through Local Labor & Materials
The project maximizes local labor, salvaged wood, and regional materials, which:
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reduced construction cost,
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lowered environmental impact,
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and supported community craft.
This approach reflects not only ecological sensitivity but also a cultural philosophy—architecture as a collective act, where family and local artisans co-create the home.
A Home That Strengthens Family Bonds
The HIÊN House is conceived not merely as a shelter, but as a living narrative of craftsmanship, memory, and family unity. Its spaces—open yet defined, traditional yet refined—connect the three generations under a single roof while giving each member room to breathe.
By merging modern living standards, rural architectural DNA, and a deep bond with nature, Winhouse Architecture preserves cultural essence within a transforming urban landscape. The home becomes not just a residence, but a symbolic bridge between past and future.
