madame pho brings the colors and textures of vietnam to budapest's business quarter

designed by eszter csontos, madame pho marks the latest addition to budapest‘s existing asian gastronomy scene. surrounded by tall glass buildings in the business quarter of the city, the family owned vietnamese restaurant invites patrons into an eye-catching interior of vibrant colors and clashing textures. 

all images courtesy of eszter csontos

‘we were given a free hand from the very beginning by the owner, hoang nam trung. thus we were able to let our fantasy run wild among the colorful memories from our trips to vietnam in the same way as the styles, colors and atmospheres are mixed freely in the country,’ says eszter csontos, art director of socially budapest agency, who was in charge of the complete branding and interior design of madame pho.

the heritage of being a former french colony – the starting point of using wood and concrete – blends with the thousand-year-old traditions of south-east asia, mostly defined earlier by the corrugated sheet homes of the mekong delta and the naturalistic bamboo buildings. as the years went by, vietnamese propaganda art came – and stayed –, leaving a significant stamp on the region’s culture, while the latest visual addition, the signature neon lights warping through the humid nights, also serve as another important part of the cultural equation.

cultures, textures and historical times meet – or rather perfectly collide – in this surprising location, adding an authentic atmosphere to the authentic flavors on the menu. madame pho invites diners to marvel at the neon signs, the posters and the lights, while enjoying the delicious and heart-warming dishes. 

project info:

project name: the curious case of madame pho

location: budapest, hungary

interior and brand design: eszter csontos