[Reading level: B2 – Upper Intermediate]
Vo Trong Nghia Architects has designed a layered home encased in a perforated ceramic wall with a series of elevated gardens that function as a natural cooling system.
Located in the pottery village of Bat Trang in Vietnam, Vo Trong Nghia Architects (VTN Architects) designed the five-storey Bat Trang House to represent the pottery and ceramic heritage of the town.
The house was built for a seven-person family that wanted a home that was intertwined with nature, while also functioning as a ceramics shop.
“The brief of the project was to design a home for a seven-member family and a place for relative get-togethers,” Vo Trong Nghia Architects told Dezeen.
“Besides its residential uses, Bat Trang House also functions as a shop, trading the traditional ceramic products of the pottery town.”
The studio encased Bat Trang House in 4,098 ceramic bricks that were individually made to size to create a perforated skin with “rhythmic” openings and closings. The bricks were individually handmade locally.
“Architecturally, the rhythmic vertical surfaces of the facade with trees created a green accent for the area,” said Vo Trong Nghia Architects.
A series of elevated gardens fill the space between the outer, perforated ceramic skin and a second, inner facade. This has windows that provide glimpses of the greenery and allow light to filter in.
Gaps in the ceramic shell act as air vents that circulate air throughout the building, while trees, bushes and other plants provide a second layer “buffer zone” that naturally cools the interior.
“The gaps of the ceramic walls function particularly well in terms of effectively getting the right amount of solar gain for the interior, especially in the summer,” the studio said.
“The uses of artificial air conditioning were unnecessary, as the three-layer ventilation system ‘exterior ceramic facade’, ‘alternating green spaces’ and ‘door’ guarantee that the house is absolutely cool,” it added.
Inside, the ground, first floor and basement of Bat Trang House are dedicated to the ceramic and pottery store, while its top three levels are dedicated to the building’s residential spaces.
Its interior employs a terracotta palette that links the interior with the ceramic brick wall.
Despite Vietnam’s hot climate, large windows were used throughout the home, providing views out to the elevated gardens and enhancing the connection with nature. The house’s layered design filters light and prevents the building from overheating.
“Large glass panels were integrated without the fear of getting the house overheated, as direct sunlight was filtered by the two layers of ceramic facade and greenery facade,” said the studio.
“The buffer space is planted with sizeable greenery, ensuring that nature is present in the owner’s everyday life.”
The studio kept the interiors simple and minimal, using dark wood throughout the home on features like flooring, panelling, beams and window frames.
“Keeping the organic quality of the material was essential to the design,” explained the studio.”The interior spaces were designed with a minimalistic approach.”
“The intimate connection of people with nature was notably important to the design team,” Vo Trong Nghia Architects said.
“The designs make sure that the occupants could always feel the freshness of greenery and the ambient skylight in their daily activities.”
Vo Trong Nghia Architects is an architecture studio based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The studio was named architect of the year at Dezeen Awards 2019 and has completed other projects including a home built on Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay and a hotel filled with tropical plants.
Source: https://www.dezeen.com/2021/03/26/vo-trong-nghia-architects-ceramic-bat-trang-house-vietnam/ WORD BANK encase /ɪnˈkeɪs/ (v): bao bọc perforated /ˈpɜː.fər.eɪ.tɪd/ (adj): được đục lỗ elevated garden (n): vườn trên cao pottery /ˈpɒt.ər.i/ [B2] (n): đồ gốm, nghề gốm represent /ˌrep.rɪˈzent/ [C2] (v): đại diện heritage /ˈher.ɪ.tɪdʒ/ [C2] (n): di sản brick /brɪk/ [B2] (n): gạch facade /fəˈsɑːd/ (n): mặt tiền be intertwined with sth /ˌɪn·tərˈtwɑɪnd/ (adj): hòa quyện với cái gì brief /briːf/ (n): bản tóm tắt get-together (informal) (n): sự gặp gỡ residential /ˌrez.ɪˈden.ʃəl/ [B2] (adj): để ở trade /treɪd/ [B2] (v): buôn bán, kinh doanh individually /ˌɪn.dɪˈvɪdʒ.u.ə.li/ [C2] (adv): riêng lẻ rhythmic /ˈrɪð.mɪk/ (adj): có nhịp điệu, nhịp nhàng architecturally /ˌɑː.kɪˈtek.tʃər.əl.i/ (adv): về mặt kiến trúc vertical /ˈvɜː.tɪ.kəl/ [C1] (adj): thẳng đứng accent /ˈæk.sənt/ (n): điểm nhấn a glimpse of sb/sth /ɡlɪmps/ [C1] (n): nhìn lướt qua ai/cái gì greenery /ˈɡriː.nər.i/ (n): cây xanh filter in (PhrV): lọt vào air vent (n): cửa thông hơi circulate /ˈsɜː.kjə.leɪt/ (v): lưu thông bush /bʊʃ/ [B2] (n): bụi cây buffer zone /ˈbʌf.ə ˌzəʊn/ (n): vùng đệm interior /ɪnˈtɪə.ri.ər/ [B2] (n): nội thất particularly /pəˈtɪk.jə.lə.li/ [B1] (adv): đặc biệt, cực kỳ artificial /ˌɑː.tɪˈfɪʃ.əl/ [B2] (adj): nhân tạo air conditioning /ˈeə kənˌdɪʃ.ən.ɪŋ/ [B1] (n): điều hòa ventilation /ˌven.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən/ (n): sự thông gió alternating /ˈɒl.tə.neɪ.tɪŋ/ (adj): qua lại, xen kẽ guarantee (that)… [B2] (v): đảm bảo (rằng) basement /ˈbeɪs.mənt/ [B2] (n): tầng hầm dedicated /ˈded.ɪ.keɪ.tɪd/ [C2] (adj): chuyên dụng employ /ɪmˈplɔɪ/ [C1] (v): sử dụng terracotta /ˌter.əˈkɒt.ə/ (n): đất nung palette /ˈpæl.ət/ (n): bảng màu climate /ˈklaɪ.mət/ [B1] (n): khí hậu enhance /ɪnˈhɑːns/ [C1] (v): tăng cường integrate /ˈɪn.tɪ.ɡreɪt/ (v): tích hợp sizeable /ˈsaɪ.zə.bəl/ (adj): lớn, nhiều minimal /ˈmɪn.ɪ.məl/ [C1] (adj): tối giản panelling /ˈpæn.əl.ɪŋ/ (n): gỗ đóng ván beam /biːm/ (n): (kiến trúc) dầm, xà material /məˈtɪə.ri.əl/ [B2] (n): vật liệu approach /əˈprəʊtʃ/ [B2] (n): hướng, cách tiếp cận intimate /ˈɪn.tɪ.mət/ [C2] (adj): mật thiết notably /ˈnəʊ.tə.bli/ [C1] (adv): đặc biệt, nhất là occupant /ˈɒk.jə.pənt/ (n): người ở ambient /ˈæm.bi.ənt/ (adj): bao quanh ỦNG HỘ READ TO LEAD! Chào bạn! Có thể bạn chưa biết, Read to Lead là một trang giáo dục phi lợi nhuận với mục đích góp phần phát triển cộng đồng người học tiếng Anh tại Việt Nam. Chúng tôi không yêu cầu người đọc phải trả bất kỳ chi phí nào để sử dụng các sản phẩm của mình để mọi người đều có cơ hội học tập tốt hơn. Tuy nhiên, nếu bạn có thể, chúng tôi mong nhận được sự hỗ trợ tài chính từ bạn để duy trì hoạt động của trang và phát triển các sản phẩm mới. Bạn có thể ủng hộ chúng tôi qua 1 trong 2 cách dưới đây.
function /ˈfʌŋk.ʃən/ (v): vận hành
– Cách 1: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản Momo.
Số điện thoại 0947.886.865 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead
hoặc
– Cách 2: Chuyển tiền qua tài khoản ngân hàng.
Ngân hàng VIB chi nhánh Hải Phòng
Số tài khoản: 012704060048394 (Chủ tài khoản: Nguyễn Tiến Trung)
Nội dung chuyển tiền: Ủng hộ Read to Lead