Vo Trong Nghia Architects

Ola,

For quite some time, I have been coming across work by Vo Trong Nghia Architects in Viet-Nam.  Each time I see one of their projects, the first word that comes to mind is the word - ORGANIC.

EXTERIOR SON LA RESTAURANT

Recently, I came across an article on Vo Trong Nghia Archchitect's Son La Restaurant.

The restaurant is located 7 hours away from Hanoi.  The architects wanted to design a building which could adapt to the tropical monsoon climate - a wet season that is hot with high humidity and strong rains and a more temperate but still hot dry season.

DINING HALL SON LA RESTAURANT

The restaurant is made up of several separate buildings and an open-air dining hall.  A local bamboo - luong - can grow to a height of 8m (8.75yds) and was used to create 'A Bamboo Forest'.

PROTOTYPE - LOW INCOME HOUSING MEKONG RIVER DELTA

The above photo is a prototype for low-income housing in the Mekong River Delta designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects. In 2012, a pair of these houses were built for a total of $4,800. The lightweight steel frame with roof-truss beams, translucent polycarbonate wall panels  and bamboo louvers on the inside were easy to assemble and all materials are readily available in Viet-Nam.

INTERIOR - LOW INCOME HOUSING MEKONG RIVER DELTA

The first project I saw by Vo Trong Nghia Architects was the dwelling - STACKING GREEN.

STACKING GREEN

This house was designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects taking into account the increasing density in Ho Chi Minh City.  This house is 13-foot wide private house with cantilevered planters on the front and back.

DINING AREA - STACKING GREEN

A pair of skylights and light wells give the reinforced concrete structure the feeling of a traditional courtyard house, while tightly stacked courses of granite add texture to the interior spaces.

STAIRWELL - STACKING GREEN

I am enamored with the way Vo Trong Nghia Architects are able to connect each structure they design with nature.  Both the Son La Restaurant and the Low Income Housing Prototype use bamboo, a natural renewable material.  In the house, Stacking Green, they have incorporated nature into their design by creating cantilevered planters on the front and back of the house.

In all of their designs, not only do they incorporate nature, but there is always space.  This use of space is a natural way to cool the interior of the structures as well as creating a sense of calm.

My dream is to work with Vo Trong Nghia Architects either during or after I obtain my degree in Interior Design.

How GREAT would that be!!!!

- Eduardo

Bamboo Products

Ola,

I have been in love with bamboo for a very long time.  I came across the plant while I was in a drug store in Los Angeles. They were selling 3 bamboo stalks in lovely little pots, which I later learned bring good luck to the owner.  From that moment, bamboo has intrigued me.

When I saw an article on HOUZZ entitled, 'BAMBOO PRODUCTS - EARTH FRIEND OR FOE?, it made me think about how I could use this material in my future projects.

"Bamboo was first found and used in China about 5,000 years ago. Technically classified as a grass, it grows faster than any other woody plant in the world. Since bamboo also needs few pesticides and fertilizers and little irrigation, it has become a popular environmentally friendly building solution."  

- Houzz.com

Here are some great things about Bamboo that I learned from the HOUZZ article:

• Bamboo can grow up to 3 or 4 feet per day and can reach maturity in five to eight ears — compared with 30 to 50 years for most trees.

• Bamboo reduces carbon dioxide gases; a grove can release 35 percent more oxygen into the air than a similar-sized plot of trees.

• Bamboo is an incredibly strong and durable wood. In some parts of Asia, it's used for sturdy scaffolding.

• Bamboo is durable and resistant to insects and moisture. 

• Timber bamboo can be grown successfully in the southern United States.

• The water-use efficiency of bamboo is estimated to be twice that of other trees, increasing its capability to handle harsh weather conditions such as droughts, floods and high temperatures.

• Bamboo grows quickly, can be harshly cut back with quick regrowth.

Here are some examples of uses of Bamboo 
in Interior Design:

LIVING ROOM WITH GOLDEN AROWANA BAMBOO FLOORING

I fell in love with this flooring:

ENGINEERED STRAND WOVEN BAMBOO TIGER

I also love BAMBOO in the kitchen:

WALNUT AND ZEBRAWOOD BAMBOO

Here is the article from HOUZZ.com that was inspiration for this blog post:

Bamboo Products — Earth Friend or Foe?

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After writing this article, I am so excited to find ways to incorporate BAMBOO in my future projects.  I am so in love with the ENERGY this material possesses!