In the eighth edition of “ReseArchi,” our staff explores remarkable architectural design found in everyday spaces and shares the stories behind them through their own observations and insights.
This edition focuses on the balconies and façades of homes in urban Vietnam.
By comparing older and contemporary homes, we explore how these exterior spaces shape the relationship between the home and the street.
Location: Urban areas in Vietnam
PAST | Balconies That Reflect Everyday Life
Homes facing the street feature a variety of elements, including railings, eaves, screens, and awnings, each giving the building its own distinctive character.
Potted plants and laundry can be seen on the balconies, offering a glimpse of how these spaces are adapted to the daily lives of their residents.
As traces of everyday life extend from the interior to the outside, each home develops its own identity. Together, these individual expressions bring energy and variety to the streetscape.
Unlike a carefully composed architectural design, these façades have evolved through the daily lives of their residents. This spontaneous character is part of what makes the cityscape so appealing.
PRESENT | Exterior Spaces That Shape the Façade
In contemporary homes, balconies and greenery are often integrated into the overall composition of the building and expressed as part of the façade.
Layers of brick, louvers, and perforated screens gently filter light and views while creating depth and shadow across the exterior.
Plants are no longer simply placed on balconies. They are incorporated into walls and outdoor spaces on different levels, becoming part of the building’s architectural expression.
Although materials and compositions have changed, both older and contemporary homes create intermediate spaces between inside and outside, bringing greenery and signs of everyday life into the architecture.
Façades Shaped by Everyday Life
Comparing these images reminds us that a balcony is more than an addition to a building. It is an important space connecting the home with the street and the interior with the outside.
Older homes reveal façades shaped gradually by everyday life, while contemporary homes incorporate materials and greenery into the architecture as a whole. Both reflect thoughtful responses to the climate, the surrounding city, and the lives unfolding within them.
A building’s character may not be complete when its design is finished. It may continue to develop over time through the lives of the people who inhabit it.
Through ReseArchi, we will continue exploring the unique qualities and thoughtful design found in architecture around us.
