Project Portfolio/Presentation

Research and develop Indochine shop-houses in tropical regions of the Americas

following environmental sustainability trends.

Student: Vu Le

Professor: Brian Proudfoot

Module: 7FTC1030 – Practice 1, Art and Design

Set the constraints of research
Simplicity Feasibility
In the initial stage of research, I come up with my own project's
development method based on simplicity, feasibility, inspiration and
adjustment. These are factors that set the scope of research

Inspiration Adjustment
Simplicity - Due to the limit of budget and my knowledge in design, I
do not expect the scope of my research is abstract or high value but
simple, practical and close to the everyday lives of people.
Feasibility – The whole research should be possible to implement step by step in the long term. However, I
expect that at least of an aspect of my research is do-able with a small budget.
Inspiration - I expect the result of my research firstly bring peace and inspiration to myself. That is research
which I can fully comprehend its aspects and get inspired in order to spread out that inspiration to others.
Adjustment – The update and adjustment are inevitable. To have a sustainable outcome, specific aspects of
a general topic of the study should not be completely fixed but flexibly adjusted if necessary in the future
due to any change of update.
Inspiration and processes
I strongly believe in the power of visual images which is
mentioned in the IDI learning path as a must of visual
communication in design. In my opinion, collecting pictures
becomes extremely important in my area which is interior design.
I would say this is a research type of Deductive/Inductive
approach or a combination.

To start the design project, I close my eyes to see images of the familiar
architectural style in my memory for orientation first, then collect images of
typical buildings in the hometown. After that, I look for images of similar
architectural and interior structures in the neighbor areas surrounding my
hometown. In the Practice 2 – Art and Design, I will proceed to collect images
at wider ranges, as well as more in-depth research.
Those images collected will then be analyzed, criticized, reflected and finally
synthesized.
 During the process, each collected image that aims to research will have its own meaning to
draw its own keywords.

Contrast in design between the west and the east,

Authentication, inaccuracy or innovation? Architecture, interior, and ancient customs of Vietnam,

Gustave Eiffel,

Shop-houses,
Bamboo in design and
Verandah, hallways, Indochine-style cafes and breakfast restaurants,
construction,
Less is more, Inspiration from the balconies,

Diversity, Conservation,
Skylights,
Project’s KEY WORDS synthesis:
I want to build a 2 stories shop-house which has a skylight, verandah,
swimming pool inside. The shop-house will be a multi-functional
Architecture of Southeast Asia, building with dining, relaxation and office facilities. A mix of
French colonial architecture, Diversity, Indochine style and contemporary style of design will be implemented.
Influence of history in architecture,
Contrast in design between the west and the east, The recycled, reused and natural materials will be used. I want to
Gustave Eiffel, Emotions in the design concepts,
conserve and share my Vietnamese culture in the USA where I am
Inspiration from the balconies, functionally redesigned,
Sidewalk restaurant and coffee shops, Shop-houses, living and this is also a business plan for myself.
Verandah, hallways, Reference of British Colonial Buildings,
Architecture, interior, and ancient customs of Vietnam,
Louvers shutters, lanterns, craved flower wooden panels
New architectural movement of Indochine, Less is more,
Different perspectives of aesthetic standards in design,
Indochine-style cafes and breakfast restaurants, SUSTAINABLE INDOCHINE
Contemporary style of design, coffee shop,
Authentication, inaccuracy or innovation? SHOPHOUSE
Skylights, Maintenance, Conservation,
Diversity,
reused and recycled materials,
Bamboo in design and
construction,

Through the process of collecting, describing

and synthesising, ideas and inspiration
become clearer and more prominent
After I identified the research goal [Sustainable Indochine Shop House], I subdivided it into 3 smaller research
sections [Sustainability, Indochine Style of Design, Shop house] then continued to devise the sub-branches of
those 3 small research sections to analysis.

INDOCHINE SUSTAINABLE
SUSTAINABILITY INDOCHINE
STYLE OF SHOPHOUSE
DESIGN SHOPHOUSE

Shop-houses
Green
in South East
Walls in
Asia
Designs
Some typical The Traditional
functional Architectural
characteristics Methods of
of the French Vietnamese
Indochine ancestors
architecture
SUSTAINABILITY
Green Walls in Designs

Besides the old method of growing vines over the outdoor

patio wall, I would like to share the most two simple and
economic solutions to build a living green wall particularly
for my project in reality.

Solution 1st is building a green vertical wall with a do-it-

by-myself soil wall which is covered by a membrane simply
by sticking the plants into the soil wall, as the picture
below. Plus, I would like to share a useful link for DIY green
living wall projects https://www.decoist.com/2013-09-
16/diy-green-living-wall-projects-for-home-interiors/
SUSTAINABILITY Green Walls in Designs

Solution 2nd is building a

green vertical wall with a
frame, containers, and
waterproof painted wall. I will
hang containers on a water-
resisted frame that attached to
a waterproof wall. The position
of each container will be well-
arranged so that the water can
flow from the top containers
down to lower containers. I
can also learn how to make
the wall by wall planting kits
being sold in Home Depot and
Amazon.
 SUSTAINABILITY Green Walls in Designs

Besides the green walls design solutions listed above, the use of
reused and recycled materials will also be included in my research
and it will account for a large.

The use of these sustainable materials in Indochine shop house will

increase the value of it. The following is a link to my Pecha Kucha. It
was when I collect design inspiration available within the city I live in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWt9hZr51dc

Pecha Kucha: A walk in Tampa for the investigation of sustainable

materials and design inspiration.
INDOCHINE
STYLE OF
Some typical functional characteristics of the French
DESIGN Indochine architecture

After researching, I would like to note 7 characteristics of French

Indochine architecture for myself,
1. Balconies are important.
2. There are many tall window openings and doors connecting
with outdoors from each room that is good for access.
3. The narrow-high-window-shutters with louvers help for the
ventilation.
4. Height ceiling is good for ventilation and thermal comfort.
5. French colonial buildings are usually in yellow. Yellow color
symbolized for the superior power of many Asian royals
6. The steeply pitched and gabled roofs which are good for rain
falling and wide overhangs/porches which are for shadowing and
having tea.
7. Front porches with arch columns.
 INDOCHINE
STYLE OF
The Traditional Architectural Methods of
DESIGN Vietnamese ancestors

1. Vietnamese have focused on the cardinal direction of a house. Depending on the

direction of the wind and sunlight, the location of the main entrance is considered
the main source of wind, fresh air and light will be determined.
2. A classical house has a pond in the front associating with the Southeast cool breezes
to cool down the temperature and make some fresh air blows through the main
entrance door to rooms inside.
3. The patio plays an important role as an air curtain to reduce heat, raindrops and as
an intermediate buffer space providing shade, as well as, link the inner space with
nature outside.
4. A mini garden underneath a skylight was always present in every house to increase
the light, the air and to nurture the love with nature.
5. Having bamboo wattle woven screens in the front of doors to prevent heat
penetration into the house, and keep the interior warm in the winter.
6. Having the raised floor houses to avoid humidity and flood.
7. Having an outdoor brick paver patio to dry some kinds of food, to place some
decorated pots of plants and to exercise.
 SHOPHOUSE Shop-houses in South East Asia

Shop-houses are simple houses of 2 or 3 stories with the mix between European
and Asian decorations on the facades. Shop-house is a functional archetype which
is the feature combination of residential and commercial purposes. As often, house
facades on the ground floor are utilized for small commercial activities which could
be laundry, money exchange, photocopy shops, etc. The upper floors play a role for
accommodation.
In South East Asia, the living environment on shop-houses streets becomes vibrant,
bustling, and convenient when inhabitants can live and work at the same place.
Although people get used to living with noisy sounds from business activities as a
usual habit, their lifestyle beneficially makes the dependence on commuting means
to become less and increase pedestrian-friendly walks. While walking through
covered verandah ways of the shop-houses, under the protection from sun or rains,
pedestrians can comfortably stop by for having a meal, dating, or shopping.
Shop-houses as a need-to-be conserved specialty are enriching the variety of living
culture and build environment in Asia.
 SUSTAINABLE
INDOCHINE
SHOPHOUSE

This is the first sketch of my project.

I imagined about a r of 3 shop-
houses with different vibrant colors
and each of them will have a
skylight and a mini garden inside.
SUSTAINABLE
INDOCHINE
SHOPHOUSE
SUSTAINABLE
INDOCHINE
SHOPHOUSE
Sources:

Aktas, G.G., Ecological and Green Design Significances in Interior Spaces, Ankara: Environmental and Geological Sciences. Available at:

http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2012/Kos/WEGECM/WEGECM-36.pdf.

Brownell, B., 2017. Material Strategies for Sustainable Construction. architectmagazine.com. Available at:

https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/material-strategies-for-sustainable-construction_o [Accessed March 1, 2019].

Aranha, The Southeast Asian shop-house as a model for sustainable urban environments, International Journal of Design & Nature and

Ecodynamics. Available at: https://www.witpress.com/elibrary/dne-volumes/8/4/766.

Sevaldson, B., 2013. Developing digital design techniques: investigations on creative design computing. Developing digital design

techniques: investigations on creative design computing. Available at: https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/handle/2134/13669.

Awang, A.H., 2017. From shop houses to shop offices: Evolution of modern shop offices design in Malaysia. 3rd Putrajaya International

Built Environment, Technology and Engineering Conference, pp.229–238. Available at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320921447_FROM_SHOP_HOUSES_TO_SHOP_OFFICES_EVOLUTION_OF_MODER

N_SHOP_OFFICES_DESIGN_IN_MALAYSIA.