12 Indochine Architecture Designs

Indochine architecture is the architecture of French colonial Southeast Asia. It is a fusion of French Beaux-Arts and local Vietnamese, Lao, and Khmer traditions. Indochine buildings have French proportions and Asian roofs. They have colonnades and louvres. They are designed for the tropical climate — high ceilings, deep verandas, and cross-ventilation. Indochine architecture is elegant, tropical, and hybrid.

These 12 Indochine architecture designs span villas, public buildings, and hotels. Each design includes defining characteristics, climatic strategies, and colonial principles.

1. The French Colonial Villa

The French colonial villa is a house for a French official or merchant. The villa has a high-pitched roof with wide eaves. The windows are tall and shuttered. The veranda wraps around the house. The villa is raised on a podium. The French colonial villa is tropical, verandaed, and French.

This design is ideal for houses in hot, humid climates. The emotional effect is tropical, verandaed, and French.

Quick Tips

The roof must be high-pitched with wide eaves.
The veranda must wrap around the house.
The house must be raised on a podium.

2. The Indochine Public Building

The Indochine public building is a government office, post office, or courthouse. The facade is symmetrical and French. The roof is Asian — curved tiles and upturned eaves. The building has a central clock tower. The Indochine public building is symmetrical, roofed, and civic.

This design is ideal for civic buildings and government offices. The emotional effect is symmetrical, roofed, and civic.

Quick Tips

The facade must be symmetrical and French.
The roof must be Asian (curved tiles, upturned eaves).
A central clock tower must be present.

3. The Colonial Hotel

The colonial hotel is a grand hotel for travellers. The hotel has a long facade with arcades. The rooms have high ceilings and ceiling fans. The hotel has a courtyard garden. The colonial hotel is grand, arcaded, and tropical.

This design is ideal for hotels in tropical cities. The emotional effect is grand, arcaded, and tropical.

Quick Tips

The facade must be long with arcades.
Rooms must have high ceilings and ceiling fans.
A courtyard garden must be present.

4. The Shuttered Window

The shuttered window is a tall window with wooden louvred shutters. The shutters open to admit breeze while blocking sun and rain. The shutters are painted green or white. The shuttered window is tall, louvred, and tropical.

This design is ideal for all Indochine buildings. The emotional effect is tall, louvred, and tropical.

Quick Tips

The window must be tall.
The shutters must be wooden louvres.
The shutters must be painted green or white.

5. The Deep Veranda

The deep veranda is a covered walkway on the front or side of a building. The veranda is at least 2 metres deep. The veranda is shaded by the roof. The veranda has a tiled floor. The deep veranda is shaded, deep, and walkable.

This design is ideal for houses and hotels. The emotional effect is shaded, deep, and walkable.

Quick Tips

The veranda must be at least 2 metres deep.
The veranda must be shaded by the roof.
The floor must be tiled.

6. The Courtyard Garden

The courtyard garden is an enclosed garden in the centre of a building. The courtyard is open to the sky. It has a fountain, plants, and seating. The courtyard garden is cool, green, and private.

This design is ideal for hotels, villas, and public buildings. The emotional effect is cool, green, and private.

Quick Tips

The courtyard must be open to the sky.
A fountain must be at the centre.
Plants and seating must be provided.

7. The Ceiling Fan

The ceiling fan is a tropical necessity. The fan is slow-moving and silent. The fan is made of wood. The ceiling fan is cooling, silent, and wooden.

This design is ideal for all Indochine interiors. The emotional effect is cooling, silent, and wooden.

Quick Tips

The fan must be slow-moving.
The fan must be made of wood.
The fan must be ceiling-mounted.

8. The Louvred Door

The louvred door is a door with wooden louvres. The louvres allow air to flow while maintaining privacy. The louvred door is louvred, airy, and private.

This design is ideal for all Indochine buildings. The emotional effect is louvred, airy, and private.

Quick Tips

The door must have wooden louvres.
The louvres must be angled for privacy.
The door must be painted green or white.

9. The High Ceiling

The high ceiling is a ceiling at least 3.5 metres high. The high ceiling allows hot air to rise above occupants. The high ceiling is cooling, spacious, and tropical.

This design is ideal for all Indochine buildings. The emotional effect is cooling, spacious, and tropical.

Quick Tips

The ceiling must be at least 3.5 metres high.
The ceiling may have a ceiling fan.
The walls must be tall.

10. The Colonial Staircase

The colonial staircase is a grand wooden staircase. The staircase has carved balusters and a polished handrail. The staircase is in the entrance hall. The colonial staircase is grand, wooden, and carved.

This design is ideal for villas and hotels. The emotional effect is grand, wooden, and carved.

Quick Tips

The staircase must be wooden.
The balusters must be carved.
The staircase must be in the entrance hall.

11. The Tiled Floor

The tiled floor is a floor of ceramic or terracotta tiles. The tiles are cool underfoot. The tiles are often patterned. The tiled floor is cool, patterned, and durable.

This design is ideal for all Indochine buildings. The emotional effect is cool, patterned, and durable.

Quick Tips

The tiles must be ceramic or terracotta.
The tiles must be cool underfoot.
The pattern may be geometric or floral.

12. The Colonial Gate

The colonial gate is a wrought iron gate at the entrance to a property. The gate is ornate with scrolls and curves. The gate is painted black or green. The colonial gate is ornate, iron, and welcoming.

This design is ideal for villas and public buildings. The emotional effect is ornate, iron, and welcoming.

Quick Tips

The gate must be wrought iron.
The gate must have scrolls and curves.
The gate must be painted black or green.