Green Walled Thao Dien House by MM++ Architects

The lush floral environment of Vietnam is a central design focus of this new contemporary home. The plant life local to Ho Chi Minh City is built into the facade of this home as green wall accents against the smooth white surface. The Green Walled Thao Dien House is a recent project by MM++ Architects, a restoration of an aging art deco home that needed a new vision.

MM++ Architects envisioned a home that isn’t just open to the environment around it, but one that implements nature into its design. This is executed by more than just the remarkable green accent walls, but the floor-to-ceiling glass that views landscaped bamboo “fences” just beyond the walls. In every room of the home, there’s a reminder about the nature beyond, either through a window or built directly into the design.

Before its renovation, the Thao Dien House was an art deco home that hadn’t aged gracefully. For this project, MM++ Architects sought to retain the structural elements of the original home, an aim to keep costs low and avoid disturbing the local environment. The restorative nature of this project saved 30% of construction costs vs. a newly-built home, increasing the sustainable nature of this project.

At a glance, the green walled Thao Dien House is well-suited to its Vietnam environment. It’s tropical in spirit, natural in material and open to the plot around it. As the interior rooms open out to the private yard beyond, I imagine its owner will spend plenty of time poolside enjoying the lush greenery that is central to this design. [photography by Hiroyuki Oki]

View in gallery