Tien Dong House by The studio, dining and living space under the central void

Tien Dong House opens two voids inside a narrow plot in Quy Nhon

Tien Dong House is a three-storey home in Quy Nhon, a coastal city in central Vietnam with a tropical monsoon climate. The studio designed it for a young family who spend much of their time living and working at home.

Rather than squeeze out the most usable floor area, the design focuses on the arrangement of solid and void and on how functional areas relate to one another. As a result, a small footprint gains more possibilities for everyday life.

Street front of Tien Dong House in Quy Nhon

Facade of the three-storey house with its green setback

Two voids on a narrow plot

Tien Dong House stands on a plot of 4 by 16 metres. In response to local sunlight, heat and prevailing winds, the plan is organised around two voids, one at the centre and one at the rear. Together, both bring natural light deep into the house and support air convection.

Living area of Tien Dong House under the central void

Tien Dong House living room beside the staircase

A landing that becomes a room

Moreover, the central void of Tien Dong House links the floors vertically. Around it, the landing widens into a transitional space that goes beyond simple circulation. Here, family members cross paths, and the children regularly read, play and learn.

Tien Dong House staircase and landing around the central void

Bridge across the void on an upper floor

A courtyard at the back

Meanwhile, at the rear, the second void pairs a courtyard with a set of supporting functions in a single zone. Activities usually found in the back yards of rural homes, such as cooking, washing, bathing and drying clothes, gather around this open space. In this way, they draw on natural light, ventilation and heat release through air convection.

Washing area beside the rear void of Tien Dong House

Bathroom opening toward the rear courtyard

A green buffer at the front

Finally, at the front of Tien Dong House, the setback forms a green buffer. Together with large sliding doors, it deepens the sense of space and the views, while also letting in more daylight and horizontal airflow.

Bedroom with sliding doors facing the green setback

Bedroom opening onto plants at the front

Permeable living

Through the play of solid and void, openness and enclosure, privacy and connection, Tien Dong House builds a spatial structure based on connectivity and permeability. Consequently, boundaries soften, and functions are not tied to a single fixed use. Ultimately, the house brings residents closer to nature and to one another within the limits of urban housing. For another Vietnamese home shaped by light and openings, see Half Solid House.