[Reading level: C1 – Advanced]
In the middle of Hung Yen Province’s 300-year-old Nom Village, this cosmopolitan villa exudes modernity but underneath the shiny surface are the foundational elements of robust northern Vietnamese architectural styles.
The two-story, 280-square-meter house in the northern province’s Van Lam District, belongs to a septuagenarian couple.
Every weekend, the owners’ children and grandchildren, who live and work in Hanoi, return to the village for family gatherings. The owners wanted to have a plush living space in harmony with the picturesque remote village’s natural surroundings.
A team of architects took the client’s requests into account and designed a northern-style living space. The home’s greenery blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, helping its inhabitants connect with nature.
The building is split into two blocks. Lai Chau black stone tiles, chosen for their understated beauty and sense of antiquity, cover the roof, as though part of a forest canopy. This natural stone is also resistant to heat and cold, and it does not crack or chip in bad weather.
The front entryway is designed to let visitors explore the entire property’s landscape. This path leads to a large main hall space with a long veranda, recreating the most traditional of northern house designs.
The steep slope of the roof is typical of northern architecture and serves to drain rainwater and prevent it from leaking into the house.
The roof is also moved away from the base of the wall. This provides shade and keeps rain from getting on the wooden poles and walls that make up the enclosure. This layout not only increases the amount of usable space, but it also offers a porch that is shielded from the sun.
The architect used many canopies to make natural sunshades that look like green curtains. This keeps the house cool and cuts down on glare from the light-colored walls around the house.
Wooden window systems not only block the harmful effects of direct sunlight, but they also let air in, keeping the house cool at all times.
The main functional space is divided into two distinct blocks: the shared living area and the private sleeping quarters.
A courtyard, connected by halls and lengthy verandas, separates these two areas. The use of this as a design element is common in northern homes.
Before each functional space, buffers are set up to create a smooth transition between spaces and give people the privacy they need.
The living room’s raised ceiling serves to both promote airflow and as a conduit to the upstairs child bedroom (representing a bird’s nest). Meanwhile, a glass wall brings inhabitants closer to the outdoor space.
The garden separates the master bedroom block from the rest of the house and lets light and breezes into the building. Large glass walls are used in the garden’s design at strategic points to continue blurring the inside-outside boundaries even further.
The living area and kitchen share an open space, letting in natural light and cool air from the garden.
Using a variety of rural materials like Lai Chau black stone tiles, wood, and other natural elements provides the property with a laid-back and rustic vibe.
The area that connects the two main blocks is a wonderful spot for the whole family to unwind. In this area, homeowners can cast their gaze forward to a vast lake surrounded by calming green vegetation.
The house took 1.5 years to design and construct. The cost was not disclosed by the owners.
Source: https://e.vnexpress.net/photo/style/new-villa-in-old-village-fuses-contemporary-and-traditional-4546612.html
WORD BANK:
cosmopolitan /ˌkɒz.məˈpɒl.ɪ.tən/ [C1] (adj): mang tính quốc tế
exude /ɪɡˈzjuːd/ (v): toát lên, tỏa ra
shiny /ˈʃaɪ.ni/ [B1] (adj): bóng bẩy
robust /rəʊˈbʌst/ (adj): mạnh mẽ, đậm chất
septuagenarian /ˌsep.tʃu.ə.dʒɪˈneə.ri.ən/ (n): người ở độ tuổi 70-79
plush /plʌʃ/ (adj): sang trọng
in harmony with sth /ˈhɑː.mə.ni/ [C2] (pre): hài hòa với cái gì
picturesque /ˌpɪk.tʃərˈesk/ [B2] (adj): đẹp như tranh vẽ, thơ mộng
take sth into account [B2] (v): cân nhắc, tính đến cái gì
greenery /ˈɡriː.nər.i/ (n): cây xanh
blur /blɜːr/ (v): làm mờ
boundary /ˈbaʊn.dər.i/ [C1] (n): ranh giới
tile /taɪl/ (n): gạch ngói
understated /ˌʌn.dəˈsteɪ.tɪd/ (adj): tinh tế, không phô trương
antiquity /ænˈtɪk.wə.ti/ (n): cổ kính
canopy /ˈkæn.ə.pi/ (n): tán cây
chip /tʃɪp/ (v): sứt mẻ
veranda /vəˈræn.də/ (n): mái hiên
porch /pɔːtʃ/ (n): mái hiên
slope /sləʊp/ [B2] (n): dốc
drain /dreɪn/ [C2] (v): thoát nước
pole /pəʊl/ (n): cột
enclosure /ɪnˈkləʊ.ʒər/ (n): bao quanh
layout /ˈleɪ.aʊt/ [C1] (n): cách bố trí, bày biện
shield /ʃiːld/ [C1] (v): che chắn
glare /ɡleər/ [C2] (n): ánh sáng chói
quarter /ˈkwɔː.tər/ [C2] (n): khu
hall /hɔːl/ (n): sảnh
buffer /ˈbʌf.ər/ (n): đệm, phần đệm
raised (adj): được nâng lên cao
ceiling /ˈsiː.lɪŋ/ (n): trần nhà
conduit /ˈkɒn.dʒuː.ɪt/ (n): đường dẫn, ống dẫn
breeze /briːz/ [B1] (n): cơn gió nhẹ
laid-back /ˌleɪdˈbæk/ [C2] (adj – informal): thư giãn, thoải mái
rustic /ˈrʌs.tɪk/ (adj): mộc mạc
vibe /vaɪb/ (n): không khí, cảm giác, tâm trạng
unwind /ʌnˈwaɪnd/ [C2] (v – formal): thư giãn
cast one’s gaze /ɡeɪz/ (v): phóng tầm mắt
disclose /dɪˈskləʊz/ [C2] (v): tiết lộ
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