NB01 House | TNT Architecture

NB01 House was developed on a complex existing site in Ninh Binh, where several old residential blocks had been extended, altered, and repaired over a long period of time. As a result, the spatial structure had become fragmented, disordered, and no longer adequately met the daily living needs of the family.

In addition, the project is located in a position exposed to many adverse impacts from its surrounding environment: it sits next to a national highway with heavy traffic and faces the North–South railway line. The area is therefore frequently affected by dust and noise pollution generated by transportation activities.

Within this context, one important requirement from the client was to preserve the old family ancestral house, which had existed on the site for generations. The architects therefore chose an approach based on inheriting existing values and reorganizing the spatial structure, rather than completely erasing the original condition.

Overall, the site is divided into three successive spatial layers along its depth, from the outside inward. These layers are defined by large wall planes, carefully calculated in terms of proportion and the relationship between solid and void. They act as buffer zones, gradually reducing the impact of the external environment before leading into the main living area.

The first spatial zone is the garage area. Here, vehicular activities are kept toward the outside through a gentle boundary formed by a green fence, marking the starting point of the human experience within the space.

The second spatial zone is organized around the existing ancestral house and the spacious courtyard in front of it, forming the central courtyard of the entire project. This space is not only associated with the Vietnamese tradition of ancestor worship, but also serves as a place for familiar communal activities in everyday life.

Within the new spatial structure, the old ancestral house is given a clearer and more dignified position. This reflects an attitude of respect toward the existing condition while emphasizing the role of spiritual life in Vietnamese culture.

The third spatial zone is a large garden organized together with the family’s living functions, located at the innermost part of the site.

The special quality of this garden lies in the close connection between the outdoor landscape and the shared living areas. Through an open spatial organization, with minimized partitions and large glass systems surrounding most of the ground floor, the boundary between inside and outside is visually blurred, allowing nature to flow freely into and merge with the living space.

The living–kitchen–dining area also becomes more flexible depending on whether the glass doors are closed or opened. When the entire door system is fully opened, this space becomes a large veranda, dissolving the boundaries between people and nature, and between nature and architecture.

The private spaces are organized as an independent two-storey volume above, thereby freeing up the space below and creating the impression that the building mass is lifted from the ground. The open space underneath is therefore given back to greenery, creating a sense of openness for the living environment while expressing an attitude of respect toward nature.

The front and rear façades of the project are treated with a system of steel louvers as both a formal design solution and a means of supporting the control of light, temperature, and natural ventilation. This louver layer also helps reduce the impact of the surrounding environment on the interior living spaces.

From the disadvantages of the existing condition and its surrounding environment, NB01 House has been reorganized with a clearer spatial order. The main spatial zones are connected in a layered sequence, helping to reduce external impacts while creating an interior living environment that is quieter, more private, and closer to nature.

NB01 House is therefore not simply a building erected on an old existing site, but a selective continuation between inherited values and contemporary living needs. The preserved ancestral house remains as the spiritual anchor of the family, while the shared living spaces are formed around it to establish a more suitable living environment — where the old and the new coexist with restraint, naturalness, and respect.

Project Information

Project name: NB01 House
Location: Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình
Area: 470 m²
Design firm: TNT Architecture
Principal architect: Bùi Quang Tiến
Design team: Hoàng Phương Nam, Phạm Như Tâm, Tô Thị Bích Hà, Lương Thị Hồng Nhung
Construction partners: Aura Lighting, Cảnh quan Zions, Bắc Tezzaro, Cửa nhôm Tostem Mr. Tưởng, Cơ khí Mr. Thuận, Mr. Phát
Design year: 2022
Completion year: 2023
Photography: Triệu Chiến