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Architects: sgnhA
- Area: 150 m²
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:Duong Gia Hieu
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Manufacturers: AutoDesk, Adobe, Cat Van Loi, Duy tan plastics, Hoa Sen Group, Panasonic, Solartuff, Trimble Navigation, Viglacera
Text description provided by the architects. The site located on the upper floor of a two storey colonial shop-house on Nguyen Cong Tru street_one of the oldest of the old Saigon, it’s such a heritage with good conditioned checker cement tile floor, the seamless front roof and an internal patio skylight. The client is an indie studio of youngsters working in cinematography and ads. The task is to create not only an ordinary working office, but also an flexibly multi-functional space including movie show, DJ station, coffee shop, exhibition, event...
The architect decide to insert a steel structure into the historical envelope, enhancing the space to be the main working space upstairs viewing the century-old trees; and to expose the layers of time by removing the damaged ceiling made of cement and wire mesh to feature the roof structure, this uniquely handmade wire mesh to be featured for wall lamps and floor tiles, by exposing layers of the old plaster wall, by maintaining the original wooden doors and windows. The multi-functional space to lie right under the main working space with sliding polycarbonate panels to open/close/divide for abilities, as well as to create a fluid filter somehow. And toward the rear are a small open kitchen/bar and a restroom.
Vintage street life color palette is the main inspiration for interior_red and blue plastic benches, reclaimed wooden furniture as well as space age retro pieces, on the background of exposed plaster wall_dimmed through wave polycarbonate panels to create scenes. The spirals staircase vertically connects spaces_downstairs to upstairs, indoor to outdoor, old to new, under the roof to the above, with a sky of mixture like the city itself.
