Climate Adaptation Strategies in Traditional Housing of Central Vietnam and Lessons for Sustainable Interior Design

Phan Hanh Lien & Le Phuong Hieu

Abstract

Traditional houses in Central Vietnam, particularly the ancient garden houses of Hue known as Nha Ruong and shophouses of Hoi-An, demonstrate climate-adaptive strategies developed over centuries of vernacular knowledge. These dwellings have evolved to respond effectively to the region’s tropical monsoon climate marked by high humidity, intense rainfall and seasonal typhoons. Undeniably, they offer valuable lessons for contemporary sustainable interior design. In this context, this study investigates how vernacular housing integrates environmental adaptability with cultural identity in order to inform contemporary practice. It fills a gap in understanding how vernacular adaptations can inform interior design at the scale of interior spatial experiences and user comfort. This research employs a qualitative methodology with a number of case studies of traditional houses in Hue and Hoi-An. It thus identifies adaptive layers in environmental, cultural, and material dimensions. Using the Iceberg Model, Design Thinking, and SWOT Analysis, the study synthesizes how deep cultural cognition and surface-level design expressions interact to sustain comfort and identity. Findings reveal that adaptive practices such as elevated flooring, ventilated walls, and multi-functional interior zones not only mitigate heat and humidity but also promote social resilience. Lessons derived from these systems inform modern interior design principles emphasizing human well-being, local material empathy, and climatic attunement. The study contributes to expanding sustainable design discourse from form-based imitations toward cognitive adaptations grounded in vernacular intelligence. Indeed, it offers insights for future design education and practice.

Keywords:

Vernacular housing, Climate adaptation, Sustainable interior design, Iceberg Model, Design Thinking, SWOT Analysis

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