Terri Meyer Boake BES BArch MArch LEED AP
Associate Professor :: Associate Director :: School of Architecture :: University of Waterloo

Nguyen Residence

Chuong Q. B. Nguyen, Chong Q. B. Nguyen, Lyndon Garcia

Houston, Texas

 

Project Information:

This is a private residence in Houston, Texas. The "compound" was designed by the firm of two architect brothers who completed their undergraduate degree at the University of Houston. The main focus of the set of buildings is a glass and steel dining pavilion that sits in the centre of a "pond" around which the other living buildings are arranged. There are separate structures for the garage, outside kitchen (to provide service to the dining pavilion and isolate cooking smells), elderly parents residence and the primary residence for the younger family. Most of the building and its components were both designed and constructed by the architect brothers, including much of the furniture and fittings.

These images were taken at a dinner they graciously hosted for the Administrator's Conference of the American Collegiate Schools of Architects in Fall 2004.

For more information and images, please visit the website of MC2 Architects: link


Project Images:

Nighttime view from the street. The front entrance is walled and gated.
Interior view of the dining pavilion from the walkway (outside kitchen is at left of image).

View across the lily pond.
View of the dining pavilion from the second storey of the house proper.

The pavilion is designed to easily accommodate large groups for meals.
View up to the centre of the steel truss at an exterior end entrance.
Exterior view of the dining pavilion as it glows in the evening.
The inverted shape of the roof is designed to collect water and divert it into the pond to maintain water levels. The vertical support members are comprised of square HSS sections. The diagonal members paired angles. The vertical truss members, plates.
Shading is provided by a lapped layer of rice-paper-like material on the interior walls of the pavilion.
Detail of brace. View of the dining pavilion from an adjacent bedroom -- across the pond.
The exterior canopy adjacent to the outside kitchen is supported by wooden trusses atop steel HSS columns..
The large awning windows of the dining pavilion provide natural ventilation.

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These images are for educational use only and may not be reproduced commercially without written permission. tboake@sympatico.ca

Updated September 25, 2005