Naturally ventilated MM House is a beautiful tropical refuge in Saigon

This naturally ventilated home in the suburbs of Saigon looks like a humble beach house on the outside, but inside is a cleverly-designed space that takes advantage of the tropical weather.

MM++ Architects designed the residence as an open space with few boundaries between the interior and exterior and a roof made from layered palm leaves. The project references South East Asian stilt houses and acts as a visual counterpoint to the neo-Victorian houses surrounding it.

The house is located in a suburb district of Saigon, Vietnam, with a mix of high and middle-height trees and wall growing plants. It features a pool which helps cool down the space, bamboo screens that provide protection from heavy rainfall typical of the region, thick walls and a roof made from palm leaves that keep the interior spaces cool.

The architects optimized vernacular architecture that responds to tropical weather conditions and expanded upon the existing passivhaus principles. While floor-to-ceiling windows bring in natural light and provide a connection to the outside, the position of the staircase between the living room and the bedrooms upstairs create permanent cross ventilation through the recycled brick walls.