The Kaleidoscope Office and Residence

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The Kaleidoscope is the living and working building located at a factory site in central Vietnam. The surrounding region is well known for its severe climate: a hot wind blows in the dry season and typhoons and floods during the rainy season. The building is placed between the hill and the sea, and frames a series of diverse (kaleidoscopic) views in directions and times. The project aims at creating a protected space from the harsh tropical climate, and enhancing the user’s contact with nature.

Dimensions & Packaging

The roof plan fits into a 32,330mm diameter circle, while the building measures 15,250mm high.
Major specifications are listed below.
Roof: trowel-finished mortar
Ceiling: exposed concrete (public spaces) / paint (private rooms)
Exterior wall: trowel-finished mortar, fiber-reinforced concrete block
Interior wall: stucco (public spaces), paint (private rooms)
Exterior floor: terrazzo (2F) / washout concrete (1F)
Interior floor: solid wood, terrazzo (public spaces) / ceramic tile (private rooms)

Tags

Vietnamese architecture, tropical architecture, rural architecture, concrete architecture, sustainable architecture, office building, residential building, open building, passive energy, non la

Production Technology

Perforated ventilation blocks are common building elements in tropical regions to moderate environmental factors. Custom precast ventilation blocks compose the outer surfaces of the solid volumes to provide privacy to the inner rooms. These fiber-reinforced concrete blocks have larger dimensions (500 x 500mm) than usual (200 x 200mm), and match the grand scale of the surrounding backdrop. The hollow precast blocks were interlocked on site by pouring concrete into their cavities.

Design Challenge

The project was realized after a 5-year long process in an outlying region of Vietnam. The construction was carried out by a mixed team of experienced builders from Saigon, the largest city in Vietnam, and local barely experienced farmer-builders. The process was characterized by numerous moments of deliberate procedures and impromptu solutions, contributing to the evolution of the local workmanship and offering a window into the potential of rural construction.

Project Duration

The project design was started in 2017 in Saigon and the construction was completed in 2022 in Quang Binh, Vietnam.

Operation Flow

Located in a remote area, the building provides both living and working spaces for the users. Under a single roof, various functions of the building are organized by seven triangular volumes that defines private and common spaces. The inside of the volumes accommodates closed functions such as bedrooms and private offices, while the space between the volumes holds gathering functions such as the central office and parlors.

Research

In Vietnam, there are many office buildings that only import the style of modern office buildings but fail to adapt it to the local climate. These buildings apply large glass surfaces on their flat facade and, as is often the case, office workers close the blinds throughout working hours to block the strong sunlight. The Kaleidoscope is one of a series of projects called Tropical Office Projects, which aims at discovering location-specific design languages for modern office buildings.

Inspiration

The characteristic roof of the building inherits the idea of Non La, a Vietnamese traditional farmer’s hat made of palm leaf, that a large conical surface shuts out sunlight and rain while allowing for the wind underneath. In order to enhance the natural ventilation, solid walls are arranged perpendicularly to the roof periphery. These form a series of V-shapes to cut out triangular private rooms while defining a large in-between space that is used for the public functions.

Image Credits

#1: Photographer Hiroyuki Oki, non-title, 2022
#2: Photographer Hiroyuki Oki, non-title, 2022
#3: Photographer Hiroyuki Oki, non-title, 2022
#4: Photographer Hiroyuki Oki, non-title, 2022
#5: Photographer Hiroyuki Oki, non-title, 2022

Colors of The Kaleidoscope Office and Residence

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