situated in the middle of old hanoi, vietnam, G8A architects has constructed ‘the bridge’ to house several luxury brands that make up openasia group. positioned between warehouse and logistic service buildings, the new office is designed to respond to the surroundings and the spatial and socio-economic landscape of the urban context.

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo) (also main image)

 

 

the office building has been designed by G8A as a series of platforms supported by two cores of concrete; one containing the circulation paths and main services, the second being for all the office’s documentation, or so called ‘memory wall’. in-between these elements is an open area, free of any columns. with large windows on both sides, this space provides unobstructed panoramic rooms across each floor. these sweeping spaces also provide maximum flexibility for any future use.

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

 

 

the design also breaks up the density of the volume with structural and visual porosity by the door-less entrance of the building, seemingly an extension of the sidewalk and the building’s north-south elevation. the façades of the office are deliberately recessed to take a step back from surrounding construction, in anticipation of further growth in the coming years. furthermore, the mesh net on the entrance side and green façade cabling at the rear of the building provides passive shading and brings a sense of intimacy.

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

 

 

in the back of the building, the open vertical space allows the site to generate its own light and ventilation, a soft filter from the busy urban context. upon entering the building, users are met with cues of materiality that embody openasia’s philosophy: ‘the transformation of raw material to fine product’. a prevailing use of the brut texture of concrete in relation to light hues and fine polished details of bronze, communicates the idea of transforming rough to precious and brut to polished.

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © G8A (hai anh le)

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © studio periphery (guo jie khoo)

G8A architects uses concrete cores and mesh façades to build office in vietnam designboom

image © G8A (duy thanh nguyen)

 

 

project info:

 

project name: ‘the bridge’

location: old hanoi, vietnam

architect: G8A architects

client: openasia group

photography: studio periphery (guo jie khoo), G8A architects (hai anh le, duy thanh nguyen)

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: lynne myers | designboom