In Hanoi, within a dense urban fabric woven from narrow passageways and multi-storey houses, a project has been realised that redefines the way we think about architecture on extremely small plots. TH House, designed by ODDO architects, stands on a plot just 2.5 metres wide – a space so confined that it can only be accessed via narrow pedestrian alleys. Despite these constraints, the architects have managed to create a home that offers everything necessary for comfortable living.
In a city with a population of around 8.5 million, high-density development is often seen as an obstacle. However, within Hanoi’s network of narrow streets, it forms the very foundation of local culture – a place for daily encounters, small services, spontaneous conversations and neighbourly interactions. ODDO architects took this social intensity as their starting point. TH House does not isolate itself from its surroundings but rather strengthens relationships: visual openings towards the alley maintain contact with the neighbourhood, whilst the vertical layout of the interiors fosters the family’s shared life.
The house was built on a plot with a land area of just 15 square metres. Thanks to its multiple levels, a usable floor area of as much as 96 square metres has been achieved here.
Architecture just 2.5 metres wide
Such an extremely narrow plot necessitated a completely non-standard structural approach. Due to the shared load-bearing wall, it was not possible to use thick perimeter walls. The architects therefore based the entire structure on a single central red steel column running from the ground floor right up to the fourth floor. This element has become the building’s backbone – it supports key rooms such as the tea room, living room, guest area and children’s room, whilst also allowing for greater spans and an open-plan layout.
The strategy centred on the central column allowed for the inclusion of large openings in the façade, vertical voids and effective cross-ventilation. The house features a variety of spaces – from a reading room to flexible living areas, from a small terrace to a bar – which can be used depending on one’s mood, needs and desired level of privacy. The south-facing façade provides soft, even light, whilst skylights, openwork floors and vertical slits allow natural light to penetrate deep into the interior.
Comfort despite constraints
Within the compact structure, the choice of materials plays a key role. Varied textures and colours create a richer spatial experience, avoiding the monotony typical of narrow houses. Green terraces and planting have been incorporated on multiple levels, improving the microclimate and compensating for the lack of vegetation in the surrounding area. This is not merely an aesthetic measure – the plants aid ventilation, lower the temperature and create places to relax.
The house grows with the family
TH House is an extension of the TH House completed in 2021, which was built on an adjacent plot for the same family. Both buildings form a single vertical home that can evolve in line with the residents’ needs. Rather than demolishing the existing structure, the architects proposed a development based on continuity – the new spaces complement the existing ones, maintaining consistency in logic and character.
The result is a design that demonstrates that even on a plot just 2.5 metres wide, it is possible to create a home full of light, a sense of space and further potential for development. TH House is an ideal solution for Hanoi’s dense urban fabric: a model of resilient, flexible building rooted in the local community. The house not only responds to the challenges of dense urban development but also uses them as an opportunity to create a space that fosters relationships – both within the family and with neighbours.
design: ODDO architects / Marek Obtulovič, Mai Lan Chi, Nguyen Duc Trung
photography: Hoang Le photography
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