Renovated Vietnamese home ‘sewn’ together with intricate steel threads

Although most people probably wouldn’t like the idea of sewing their house together, Vietnam’s Block Architects have renovated a beautiful house inspired by the homeowner’s handcrafted leather goods business.

The architects improved the narrow space by replacing unnecessary floors and walls with massive frames made out of small steel threads “sewn” into the structure, permitting optimal natural light and air ventilation.

The entire renovation process was closely linked to the couple’s meticulous business process. “For a product to be accomplished, say a handbag, it takes many processes involving fastidious needlework,” they said. According to the architects, similar detail was essential to the project, “Like meticulous craftsmen, we carefully joined up every part of the house: old ones and new ones, separate ones and shared ones, together with wood, brick, concrete, metal and trees.”

Although the white frames might be seen as nothing more than a sentimental nod to the homeowners’ profession, they were actually chosen to let air and natural light penetrate the interior. The structure is quite narrow, so along with removing walls and floors, this feature was strategic to opening up the space. Additionally, the steel frames serve as a nice support for green climbing vines, adding a touch of nature throughout the home.

On the brick-walled interior, an old concrete staircase was also removed to let in light. The new staircase was constructed out of floating wooden pieces held together with white rods. Once a dark, crapped space, the home is now illuminated from the roof to the bottom floor, which houses the kitchen and a vertical garden.