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A new beginning for the people of Ta Phin
At the project’s site - Suoi Re village (Cu Yen commune, Hoa Binh province), all year round most villagers have to travel to town to earn their living. The struggle for a better life makes them exhausted. They don’t have any time to care about their own education or their cultural and spiritual enrichment, as well as that of their children. In the villages, the spaces for communal activities, kindergartens, health care stations, post offices and libraries seem to be luxuries.
This multi-functional community house was created in this context. It leans on mountains, avoids storms and flash floods and faces towards the valley. The overall spatial structure is organised in a chain. The front space is the open courtyard, which hosts the outdoor activities. The main living space lies in the middle part, consisting of two floors. Upstairs is a kindergarten combining with a library, meeting areas etc., their functions interlocking flexibly.
A wide veranda with lawns act as a green cushion with high visibility. The ground floor is designed to fit the concave slopes. It can avoid the north-eastern monsoon (which is very cold in the winter) and collects the south-eastern sunlight, making the building warm in winter and cool in summer.
The structural idea is simple and economical, utilising the availability of local materials and following the principle 'unity in diversity contrast'. The ground floor is made of rugged-stone walls, bamboo doors and fine-bamboo ceilings that offer a feeling of warmth and balance. Upstairs comprises smooth rammed-earth walls with heavy stones beneath, bamboo frames and a palm leaf roof.
Solar cells, filtered rainwater collection tanks, power-saving LED lighting and five-compartment septic tanks are factored into the design. They are the test solutions of green architecture, creating an energy-efficient and friendly environment.
Taking the design in this direction is intended to serve as an example, in the hope others will experience and replicate the model for the rural midland area.
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