According to population and urbanization forecasts, Ho Chi Minh City will exceed its population targets by 2035, and most townhouses will be replaced by apartments under strategic urban planning. The younger workforce and current labor trends indicate that a significant number of young workers tend to live temporarily rather than settling down permanently, making minimal ownership of physical possessions increasingly practical. This raises the question: with a high demand for temporary housing, can the proliferation of apartments replacing townhouses still embody the spirit of townhouses? This is the design challenge for architects to address.
From the issue and predictions, I propose the design of a residential building that offers distinct but adaptable room layouts, allowing for changes within the space. By combining architecture, mathematics, and AI, the design optimizes the space for users while preserving the essence of a townhouse in apartment units. This approach is particularly suitable for the large group of people in Ho Chi Minh City who require temporary housing, allowing them to maintain their lifestyle when they move or when the space is redesigned to better suit their needs. The project focuses on human sustainability, contributing to urban development while also aiming to become a leading force in diversifying apartment types in Vietnam, moving away from repetitive models seen today.

I applied geometric forms aligned with the context and my design perspective, selecting a suitable massing. From this massing, with the support of AI, I proposed room shapes for each floor, carefully considering the layout to finalize a solution with a mix of apartment types and shared CO-working and CO-living spaces.
For each apartment, users can choose between pre-designed units or customize the design before construction. Temporary residents requiring changes in layout or design to suit their needs, or seeking alternative apartments within the same system, can collaborate with AI. Here, AI takes on the role of an architect, providing tailored solutions based on daily living habits, preferences, and architectural principles. While architects cannot fully grasp the dynamic needs and activities of every user, AI—if permitted to store daily usage data—can offer personalized design options. It can also recommend apartments within the same complex or others in the system, similar to how Smart Home technology operates today.
This approach creates an "urban wave," where apartments need not conform to uniform designs but are optimized for user needs and regional characteristics while balancing economic efficiency.

The proposed building applies 3D printing technology with a metal shell and lightweight concrete apartments. The technical utility boxes are placed on the exterior, combined with a sloping design to ensure proper drainage and waste disposal, while directing exhaust gases upward. The vertical circulation core is designed in such a way that, when the structure is assembled, the building forms a solid unit through joint connections (inspired by Japanese carpentry techniques). The project also meets Vietnam's emergency evacuation standards and other technical criteria.