Vietnamese architecture honored with international awards

By Long Nguyen November 1, 2020 | 11:48 pm PT

A Nghe An cafe and Da Nang hotel have been respectively named 'interior design of the year' and shortlisted for a U.S. architectural award.

Nocenco Cafe, located on the roof top of a seven-floor building in Nghe Ans Vinh Town, has recently won the Interior Design Of The Year award at the Architecture MasterPrize awards (AMP) 2020, which honors designs in the disciplines of architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture with the goal of advancing the appreciation of architecture worldwide. It is held by Farmani Group, an American organization curating and promoting art, design and architecture across the globe.

Nocenco Cafe, located on the rooftop of a seven-floor building in central Nghe An Province's Vinh Town, has been honored with the Architecture Master Prize (AMP) from the Farmani Group, an organization that curates and promotes art, design and architecture across the globe.

The 687-meter-square cafe was constructed with bamboo. According to architect Vo Trong Nghia, bamboo is easy to access in this tropical climate, helping them reduce construction time and budget while creating a distinctive look for the cafe.

The 687-square-meter cafe is built from bamboo. Architect Vo Trong Nghia said bamboo is easy to find and helps reduce construction time and cost while creating a distinctive look.

The ceiling is also covered with bamboo, so pedestrians can recognize the space even when they are in the street. There are 10 bamboo columns to hide the existing structure and 4 additional ones dividing the cafe into different spaces.

The ceiling is also covered with bamboo, while there are 14 columns built of the same material.

The enormous dome structure on the roof.

The enormous dome on the roof.

A hotel in central Da Nang City, also designed by Vo Trong Nghia, is highlighted in the section for hospitality architecture. The hotel is covered by three vertical green facades forming a small forest, making it stand out from the surrounding buildings.

A hotel in central Da Nang City's My Khe Beach, also designed by Nghia, is shortlisted in the hospitality architecture category. With 153 rooms on 21 floors, it has three vertical green facades that form a small forest and make it stand out from the surrounding buildings.

A closer look at the building. The wall is made of concrete and covered by a vertical garden, providing the hotel rooms with ample shade.

The hotel is filled with trees from its facade to the inside. Vo Trong Nghia has always been well-known for using greenery in his design.

Nghia has always been renowned for using greenery in his designs.

Plants help reduce sunlight entering the hotel rooms.

Furniture is made of local materials such as wood, stone and bamboo. All rooms have glass doors and windows, helping people connect with nature.

Photo courtesy of Vo Trong Nghia Architects