Tucked into the end of a quiet Hanoi alley, this single-family home aspires to be a microcosm of the citys urban conditionThis project was shortlisted in the 2024 AR House awards. Read about the full shortlist hereHanois urban landscape is a patchwork of old and new. Streets and alleys, known locally as Ng, act as vital connectors between the public and private spaces. This is particularly evident on Tran Cung Street, which cuts through the former villages of Hoang 1, Hoang 2, and Hoang 4, retaining vestiges of its Lng heritage. The Lng ethos a Vietnamese term referring to traditional communal hamlets, where shared spaces foster interaction and cohesion continues to shape the citys character. Despite the encroachment of urbanisation, this spirit of communal living remains embedded in the fabric of Hanois evolving cityscape. Within this context, Loli House reinterprets these communal principles, blending tradition with the demands of contemporary living.Designed by T+M Design Office on a modest 35m plot, Loli House reimagines Hanois traditional tube house, turning its typical stacked, narrow form into a vertical home that fosters interaction, flexibility and fluidity. What appears as a conventional design on the surface is, in fact, an exploration of space that integrates private and communal living in a dense urban environment.Loli House is a vertical reimagining of Hanois traditional tube houseCredit:Hoang Le, Chimnon StudioThe entrance to Loli House introduces its central theme: connection. Set back from the street, the entrance creates a semi-public threshold that mirrors the social openness of Hanois Ng. Architect Nguyn H Thng describes this gesture as an attempt to preserve the social fabric of the neighbourhood: The Ng is where Hanois spirit comes alive. By extending this openness into the home, the design offers a space that invites interaction rather than isolation.The spatial anchor of the house is its vertical circulation. In Hanois tube houses, staircases are often purely functional, but at Loli House, they become central to family life. The staircase integrates light, airflow and activity through a central void, transforming what could have been a dead space into an active zone of engagement. Nguyn explains: Stairs are not just for moving between floors here; they are places where family life unfolds. This approach challenges the compartmentalisation typically seen in vertical homes and encourages a sense of fluidity between spaces.Natural light and ventilation are key elements of the design. Skylights illuminate the central void, while polycarbonate panels and wooden louvres enhance airflow and bring warmth to the interiors. These material choices reflect a careful balance between modern and traditional aesthetics, grounding the design in Hanois vernacular while addressing contemporary concerns for sustainability and comfort.For the family that inhabits Loli House, the design offers an array of possibilities. The ability to adapt the design to meet the needs of the moment from transforming stair landings into play areas to creatively using the voids for different activities gives them the freedom to mould their home according to their lifestyle. Nguyn articulates this flexibility as an intentional feature: We wanted the space to allow for adventure. This sense of freedom mirrors Hanois urban culture, where boundaries between home and street blur, and spaces are constantly repurposed to suit the moment.Loli House stands as both a reflection of and a response to Hanois urban trajectory. By engaging with the cultural and spatial narratives of its context, it offers an alternative that prioritises connection, flexibility and community. This project isnt just about solving spatial constraints; its about creating a place for life, Nguyn reflects. And in its ability to balance heritage with innovation, Loli House demonstrates the enduring potential of architecture to nurture both family and city.Natural light and ventilation are key elements of Loli House, polycarbonate panels and louvres enhancing airflow through the buildingCredit:Hoang Le, Chimnon Studio