The notion of “place” is mentioned by Claude Levis Strauss when he told the story about his journeys to new lands .In that place, the primitive life still exist in parallel with the development of the modern world. The “place” is noticed like settle, birth’s place , the tradition ,or roost.. “Place” associated with people, culture, living habits and natural conditions. Each region has their own images and unique characteristic.
From the beginning, settlement is the first conceptual architecture of people, a space that protects people from the bad weather conditions. Over the course of hundreds of years , traditional architecture has evolved from the dialogue between human and nature , creating particular features of architecture morphology.
Saigon is a lowland, has tropical monsoon climate that has two distinct seasons of rain and sunshine. Along with the development, architecture in Saigon gradually formed an identity of architecture: the architecture fulfill the needs of tropical climate and people life style. Tile Roof House is an aspect that reflects the direction of the design team when they thinking about the development of indigenous architecture of their mother land . The large-tile roof cover the solid space( sleeping area) and hollow space( living area) that respond to the East and West side of the site. Roof material is made from terra-cotta , a material associated with the memory of many family generations, it has become a representative of the image of ancients city in Vietnam. By using the slope form of the traditional house as a starting point , The idea is the roof shifting and sky room that allows the light and wind flow into to the highest point of the roof . The system of shutter door improves the smooth movement of the air ventilation throughout the house. Modern lifestyle does not mean that we completely separate from nature, but living in harmony with the sun, wind, rain and trees should be prioritized. By careful consideration about the typology of the context, the shape of the building connects and intermixes with the surroundings context.
Life is always complicated and multi –dimensional, as well as architecture point of views. The architects have many methodologies of thinking and designing. But in the design team’s approach: the concept of “place” is always the starting point for every design