VTN architects' intricately arched restaurant in xiamen uses locally-sourced bamboo

the vo trong nghia-designed ting xi bamboo restaurant is situated in a suburban area surrounded by lush forestry near the center of xiamen, an exciting coastal city in china. the functional requirements primarily consists of a restaurant and a café lounge which seats 200 guests. additionally, the internal area is designed to be a flexible space that can host many different types of events. thanks to its excellent CO2 absorbability and rapid growth, bamboo has become the green material of the 21st century largely due to its characteristic mechanical strength and extreme light weight, which competes with other structural materials.

the spatial structure is simple and consists of two main components: the first being a triangular bamboo building, and the second being the rear-end of a house. VTN‘s bamboo structure features 14 columns with an eight meter span between them, and is 14 meters in length from the edge of the eaves on one side to the other. the ‘back of the house’ contains the service functions such as WC, kitchen, staff room and storage. all of these programs are contained within a shallow pond that surrounds the building. the fourteen columns give form to the bamboo building as they dynamically fan out in four directions from their base and as a result become impressively thick, forming a void inside.

since the interior space requires air conditioner, a major challenge faced by VTN architects was keeping the inherently permeable bamboo structure airtight. the architects solved this by installing arch-shaped glass panels between the columns and the walls. also, partition walls composed of bamboo layers, rubber sheets, and a thatch finishing were placed within the columns to make them airtight as well. the gabled roof, which has a maximum height of 6.4 m, allows natural light to permeate inside and provides a pleasant atmosphere to this dynamic room. the gently curved interior form allows people experience the layered frame structures, which further the user perception of the depth of the space.

the service area, located adjacent to the structure, is compactly designed so that it sits below the bamboo building’s eaves, yet still meets the minimum functional requirements in a plan. the bamboo has been treated with a traditional vietnamese method in order to naturally reach the high quality and long-term durability that the project demands. this type of treatment can last from 30 to up to 50 years. this natural treatment also contributes to the architects’ sustainable design approach of the project. by using vernacular bricks of the region, the new building will integrate itself well within its context and harmonize with its surroundings.

project info:

status: under construction
program: restaurant
location: xiamen, china
site area: 1,150 m2
gfa: 480 m2
design firm: vtn architects (vo trong nghia architects)
principal architect: vo trong nghiaproject architects: hidetoshi sawa, le phuong uyen, nguyen van thienclient: xiamen jun hao real estate develop co.,ltd
bamboo contractor: vtn architects (vo trong nghia architects)