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Đà Lạt, Vietnam

Architects: A+ Architects
Lead Architect: Vu Hoang Kha 
Design Team: Truong Nguyen Uyen Thu, Tu Phan Nguyen Truong, Tran Van An, Nguyen Long An, Tran Thi Ly Na, and Hoang Quang Dong
Client: Private
Photographers: Quang Tran

Nha Nhim Homestay was built in Da Lat City where the weather stands in contrast to Vietnam's otherwise tropical climate. No other city in the country has mist covering the valleys almost year-round.

It is located on a slope of a mountainous area, within the deserted scenery of the surrounding neighborhood in the North-West of Da Lat, in a distance of fifteen minutes from the center of the city to the Homestay.

The client required a place not only for living but also for low-budget hospitality services.

The site challenged the architects with its narrow and prolonging parameters, where the length significantly overshadowed the 8-meter width. The terrain is extremely bad with undulating, uneven terrain, weak soil, which can cause landslides.

Thus, it was decided to lift all of the elements to create an open space for the homestay and stick to the topography of the area. The specific solution for a beautiful homestay for travelers was to create viewports from and within the premises.

The units were also arranged to encourage connection and communication between different cabins. The project included the main house and additional cabinets.

One of the most difficult challenges was the cold weather in Da Lat. A big sloped roof was created to avoid freezing winds at night while still receiving cool breezes during hot days.

Moreover, the project was divided into several small elements for optimal ventilation, natural sunlight, reduced use of artificial energy, minimizing harm to the environment.

Although many modern features were incorporated in the interior design, the harmony with the overall context was preserved by using traditional materials, such as pine, being the most characteristic material in Da Lat.

During field trips to Dalat, the design team consulted with locals listening to their stories and what the local resources could offer to the project. So much potential was found in waste materials from the area. Therefore, it was decided to collect and upcycle them.

For instance, waste materials from local textile factories were categorized and recycled into different parts. The pallet wood panels were the main ingredient for the furniture and the external wood cells were reused in-ceiling modules, while fences were made from tree branches.

There were also test concrete blocks being thrown away. They were repurposed by being carefully aligned to recreate the iconic talus slope of Da Lat. Tree bark, branches, test concrete blocks were the materials that were given a new life in this project.

In terms of sustainability in the projects, recyclable material was the most noticeable point as well as the respect of the topography which was to stick to the slope and leave water naturally permeate. This project was a story of giving so-called “waste” a second chance. An architect’s adventure of creating something meaningful from trash.