Regional Projects: E6 Villas

The project site is located in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City, with a site area of 10,000 square metres. It was designed as a private luxury villa compound comprising a total of 14 villas. There are three different types of houses, each ranging from 350 to 710 square metres in gross floor area. Each house is also equipped with a private pool.

The site sits on a long, narrow piece of land, which influenced the design of a T-shaped layout oriented along the north-south axis, with the main gate at the south, adjacent to a clubhouse facing the main road intersection. Vehicles are directed to a semi-basement level, leaving the ground surface as a central Green space. Visible from the main entrance, this distinctive garden offers greenery and spacious lawn areas with several pavilions in a relaxed, communal setting.

MODEL VIETNAMESE HOME
The model Vietnamese home was the inspiration for the design of E6 Villas. The site plan was designed to provide privacy in the form of secluded individual units that are not facing one another. To complement the architecture and spatial design, a continuous space between indoors and outdoors encourages an outdoor lifestyle and enhances the well-being of residents. Cross-ventilation design and passive shading devices are used to generate a light and breezy atmosphere. The flexibility of blinds and louvres helps to regulate the amount of light and air circulation in the house, enabling residents to customise their comfort level in the tropical and humid environment of Ho Chi Minh City.

In keeping with Vietnamese tradition, each villa unit contains three floors, including a roof terrace and basement. Communal areas—such as the living and dining rooms—are located on the ground floor, while private areas—such as bedrooms—are located above. From the central communal garden, the villa elevation reveals residents’ activities from bottom to top. At the ground floor, a heavy raw granite wall supports the lighter upper storeys, establishing an open space towards the garden and pool area. A smooth stone envelope that frames the private areas surrounds the second floor. The façade opens up discreetly through aluminium slats. Above it, a light timber lattice filters light during the day and emits a warm light at dusk, resembling the appearance of a glowing festival lantern—a cultural symbol popular in Vietnam. To the rear is an open-air gathering area for families to entertain guests. The elegance of the villas is therefore translated through proportion, textures, colours and forms, which also reflect the ample space of the residential unit.

NATURAL MATERIALS
Most materials used for construction are natural materials, and therefore generally lower in embodied energy and toxicity than other manmade construction materials. As they require less processing, they are less damaging to the environment. The use of locally produced building materials—such as stone and ceramic—shortens the distances necessary for transportation, thus reducing air pollution produced by vehicles.

Having a holistic understanding of the environment, as well as application of sustainable design principles that are customised to fit the local context is a critical factor in the success of residential design in Vietnam. The E6 Villas project aims to be the standard for future development in Ho Chi Minh City.