Stone House: the aging of natural materials

Architecture conquers a special dimension when benefiting from the aging of natural materials. In Vietnam, Stone House exemplifies how such noble task contributes for a splendid interaction between inhabitants and domesticated nature. Instead of using the traditional concrete and plaster, this two-story building with a total area of 360sqm is constructed from locally quarried stone blocks that are piled up in an alternating grid to create a dynamic brickwork pattern to the walls.

The spiral volume was developed in order to generate a central courtyard with a tree and a small water pool. The distribution of the program is cleverly disposed around this private Garden of Eden: once inside the house a living and dining room invites us to explore this fine piece of Eco-friendly architecture.

An elliptical corridor gives access to the rest of the ground floor spaces: kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms and a guest room. A wooden staircase leads to the upper floor where two bedrooms, a study, and a warship room are also served by an elliptical corridor that provides a full glimpse of the central courtyard.

However, the most impressive detail is reserved for the most adventurous: a green roof that gently ascends to the top of the spiral volume. A layer of grass covers the entire roof and is preserved by an inbuilt irrigation system.

Dark wood beams form stripes across the ceilings and walls in most rooms while dark timber frames surround the windows contrasting the grey color of the stone. As time goes by, Stone House will become a living organism capturing the changes of all seasons…


/Scribol.Com/