Plant-covered rooms surround private swimming pools at Wyndham Garden Phú Quốc, a holiday resort that MIA Design Studio is building on Vietnam's largest island.
Ho Chi Minh City-based MIA Design Studio has completed the first of more than 150 villas that are being constructed on the seven-hectare site, which is located to the south of Phú Quốc.
Although the site is close to the coast, the seafront is not visible from this location. This led the architects to design inward-facing properties, in the spirit of traditional Vietnamese courtyard homes.
The villas are organised around private, open-air swimming pools, with rooms blanketed by "green curtains" formed of Tarlmounia, a tropical creeper plant that is native to Asia.
Living spaces are completely open to the courtyards, screened only by the hanging plants. However guests can lower curtains if necessary.
"We installed no doors nor walls, which could prevent the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces," the studio told Dezeen. "We believe that floor and roof are enough for living areas."
Bedrooms are fronted by glass, so guests can look out at the greenery when they wake up each morning.
"The spaces in every villa of the resort make us feel like getting lost into the greenery," said the studio.
Villas at Wyndham Garden are available with either two or three bedrooms.
They are grouped together into "hamlets" of either five or seven properties, each with a shared entrance pathway. However each one is completely private inside, screened by three-metre-high walls.
Terrazzo tiles provide flooring both inside and outside the properties, so that spaces merge together seamlessly, while walls are finished in a pale, textured render.
This creates a simple backdrop that allows the plants to stand out.
The only real colour besides green comes from the bright blue of the tiles used for the swimming pools.
"Wyndham Garden Phu Quoc provides not only an absolute private relaxation space, but also a view to the sky and nature," added the design team.
MIA Design Studio is led by architects Manh Nguyen Hoang, Steven Baeteman and Bao Bui Hoang.
The studio often integrates plants into the design of buildings. Other examples include a house with plant-covered walls and courtyards in Vũng Tàu and a spa with hanging gardens in Danang.
Photography is by Oki Hiroyuki apart from where otherwise indicated.
Project credits:
Developer: Nam Group
Architecture: MIA Design Studio
Principal architect: Nguyen Hoang Manh
Concept design: Truong Nguyen Quoc Trung, Nguyen Tan Phat
Interior design: Steven Baeteman, Le Vu Hai Trieu, Bui Viet Kien
Technical design: Bui Hoang Bao, Nguyen Ngoc Thien Phuong
Draft team: Ho Ngoc Vi, Le Thi Huong, Le Ho Ngoc Thao, Huynh Minh Phuong