Handmade blocks product of gray and purple cement outline the facades of Small Homes, a group of houses that Cambodian studio Bloom Structure created as a “haven” from the bustling streets of Phnom Penh.

Situated in a compact city space in a historic a part of the Cambodian capital, the houses are accessed by a slender alleyway measuring simply 60 centimetres in width.

In response to Bloom Structure, which additionally has studios in Paris, they take cues from adjoining houses and are designed to align with the world’s village-like scale.

“Solely accessible by foot by means of a slender alleyway, the village on the finish of it’s significantly dense,” mentioned Bloom Structure.

“[This left] us the problem of discovering the fitting stability between establishing our personal artistic id whereas nonetheless sustaining a respect for the encircling context,” the studio continued.

“The form of the homes was impressed by the preexisting vernacular picket Cambodian homes sitting there.”

Described by Bloom Structure as a “haven”, Small Homes was created for a neighborhood of designers, their youngsters and their pets.

They’re cloaked in a facade of tactile cement blocks and tropical greenery, which the studio added is meant to “appear to be archaeological stays of what existed there earlier than”.

“The craftsmanship of this materials offered the fitting stability between sturdiness and aesthetic,” defined Bloom Structure.

“It is sort of a fabric that protects the households from the solar and supplies the correct amount of privateness and thermal safety.”

The compact houses are unfold throughout 4 storeys, with residing areas on the bottom ground and a combination of bedrooms and work areas throughout the higher ranges.

Inside every residence, a double-layered facade of cement blocks and glazing supplies mild, air and privateness to the residing areas.

Additional up the constructing, irregular openings and bay home windows are used to border views over the encircling neighbourhood.

The roof of Small Homes is topped with a shared out of doors terrace, that includes verdant planted edges, a white cover and clay-tiled partitions and flooring. Right here, rooftop communal laundry amenities additionally create alternatives for residents to fulfill one another.

“A way of belonging can be necessary for each the newcomer households and the prevailing neighborhood,” defined the studio.

“The roof terrace is with out partition and shared between the households, bettering house for connections and celebrations.”

Bloom Structure was based in 2015 by Antoine Meinnel. Its Small Homes challenge has been longlisted within the housing class of the Dezeen Awards for 2023.

The studio additionally lately accomplished Takhmau Boarding Faculty, an academic facility with a bamboo exterior, which is longlisted within the Dezeen Awards within the schooling challenge class.

Different buildings with facades product of ornamental blocks embody Kontum Home by Khuôn Studio in Vietnam and a pupil bathe block in Shanghai by Wuyang Structure.

The images is by Oki Hiroyuki.