Architecture Asia Special Issue - ARCASIA Awards for Architecture 2020

The project site is a small house occupying 80 square meters.
It is located on the main village road. Urbanization has transformed
the village architecture and living space. The land has
been divided into many small plots, and the buildings are
influenced by the architecture of urban townhouses, which
does not suit the local lifestyle. The house is meant for a married
couple aged fifty-plus years living in this rural area. Daily
activities, which include gardening and paddy drying, are
connected with nature.
As a small site, the house serves many complex functions.
Instead of having a large yard like the other village houses, the
structure has many courtyards at different heights, aligned
with its own height. A rooftop garden is located adjacent to
the courtyard on the mezzanine, comprising a playground and
vegetable garden that connects the roof to the ground floor.
The rooftop garden also provides fresh seasonal food for daily
meals. As the owner shares these food products with neighboring
families, the architecture has unintentionally generated
social interactions within the village community. The rooftop
garden also serves to insulate the house. The internal temperature
is significantly lower compared with that of the surrounding
houses with corrugated steel roofs. The stair-step design
reduces the height of the façade. Consequently, the urban
space is not overwhelmed, and harmony is maintained with
the surrounding area. “The Red Roof” is intended to maintain,
preserve, and evoke the familiar rural lifestyle.
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