Situated in a new residential area of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, this multi-storied family residence is a reinterpretation of the local architectural vernacular, both in terms of composition and use of materials. Designed by the studio of Japanese, Vietnam-based architect Shunri Nishizawa, Thong House has the form of a stack of cubes built around a main staircase, the latter acting as the building’s spine and running continuously from the ground level all the way up to the roof garden. Various areas have been laid out around this main axis that offer an alternative to the traditional Vietnamese family lifestyle which comes about mainly through the use of large open spaces without walls, allowing the family to interact and connect in many different ways.