Haonam Apartments / Atelier 12

Architect: atelier 12
Area: 570 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: Chimnon studio
Lead Architects: Dang Duc Viet
City: Dong Da District, Hanoi
Country: Vietnam

Haonam Apartments by atelier 12 occupies a compact 80-square-meter plot in a densely built alley of Hanoi. Designed as an eight-story mixed-use building, it addresses the growing demand for hybrid spaces in the city center by combining an office on the ground floor, four studio apartments above, and a private family residence on the upper levels. The design follows a rational division of space, devoting one-third to essential services such as circulation and utilities while leaving the remainder open for flexible living and working arrangements. Distinctive balconies lined with steel-framed planters create a vertical garden that moderates sunlight, improves natural ventilation, and establishes a layered connection between interior life and the surrounding urban environment. Beyond serving residents, the façade enlivens the narrow alley with light, greenery, and shifting patterns of shadow. The project exemplifies how compact architecture can merge efficiency with ecological awareness, offering a model for sustainable urban living in rapidly growing cities.

I find myself exploring flexibility and moderation. The anchors that keep my approach grounded and help me avoid extremes. When things remain balanced and measured, a sense of comfort and harmony naturally follows.
Interview with Đặng Đức Việt of atelier 12

Haonam Apartments by atelier 12 reflects a dual ambition: to address the pressing need for hybrid living and working spaces in Hanoi while introducing ecological strategies that enrich the city’s dense fabric. Set within a narrow alley of Dong Da District, the project makes the most of its limited footprint through a clear tripartite layout. One-third of the plan accommodates circulation and services, while the remaining space remains open and adaptable, allowing the ground floor to function as a rentable office, the middle levels as compact studios, and the upper floors as a private residence for the owner’s family.

atelier 12 extended this pragmatic organization into an expressive façade design that integrates greenery as both environmental mediator and architectural character. Steel-framed balconies serve as planted buffers, filtering light, reducing heat, and enhancing natural ventilation throughout the building. These vertical gardens soften the edge between inside and outside, creating a living envelope that contributes to resident comfort while simultaneously enlivening the alley with color and shadow.

The project demonstrates how compact urban housing can serve multiple functions without sacrificing a connection to nature.

By merging adaptability with sustainability, Haonam Apartments presents a model for urban dwellings that are efficient, resilient, and attuned to the environmental challenges of rapidly growing cities.