Coastal house features floating wooden boat

The owner wishes to have a peaceful living place where he can relax and enjoy pleasant moments after work. Another need of the homeowner is that the house has a modest and discrete outside area, but the inside is contemporary and completely functional.

He has lived near the sea for a long time and had discussed with the architects the concept of incorporating familiar objects and symbols from his homeland into his living environment.

After that, the fishing boat was included in the project.

The wooden boat in the living room of the home in Vung Tau Town. Photo by courtesy of Dung Huynh

The solution of architects Tran Van Huynh and Nguyen Van Hoa from the H2 Workshop is a three-story home with a terrace and five bedrooms.

To differentiate the first floor from the other levels, the architects created a “shell” surrounding the home with numerous plants and flowers mixed with an iron frame and iron grid system.

Architectural drawing of the house. Photo courtesy of Dung Huynh

The bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and living spaces are all bright and airy, with plenty of natural light and green spaces.

The first level has a parking lot and a communal kitchen. The kitchen is created with an open area to invite natural light into the house, with the goal of allowing residents to enjoy wonderful meals while also feeling a little sunlight and a natural breeze.

The second floor’s distinctive feature is a giant 4-square-meter boat depicting the natural beauty and livelihood of the people of Vung Tau. The boat was cast in concrete and is supported by a reinforced steel frame system. The outside is covered by wood.

The architect created two living spaces above the deck and two bedrooms below the boat to give the impression of being on a yacht out at sea.

“The ladder dangling along the wall is a nice touch, lending an air of danger for anyone trying to board the boat,” the homeowner said.

The outside view of the house. Photo courtesy of Dung Huynh

The third level of the home includes two huge rooms with balconies, surrounded by lush trees, with the exterior covered in mesh. A shared yard and a huge space at the rear comprise the rooftop.

The natural landscape is shown via the terracotta roof structure above and the surrounding large glass walls.

The project was finished in early 2022 after 8 months of construction and at a cost of around VND2.5 billion ($106,000).