Get the best of Domus straight to your inbox!

The Lantern

Vo Trong Nghia Architects designed a showroom in Hanoi, Vietnam, with inexpensive traditional bricks that open up the interiors to a busy street, enhancing the view of magnificent trees.

Madera: the soul of wood, nobly expressed

Madera crafts the very essence of wood through the ingenious process of precomposed veneering, resulting in surfaces of captivating visual harmony and inherent sustainability. From flawlessly coordinated color palettes to intricate inlays that whisper stories, each door stands as a genuine tribute to the natural world.

Sponsored content

Designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects + Takashi Niwa and located within the Dong Da district in Hanoi, Vietnam, the gallery and lighting showroom uses a perforated terracotta facade to improve the surrounding neighborhood. The gallery is located on the top floor overlooking a large tree, while the slit skylights expose the roof garden.

01 / 06

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2016. Photo Hiroyuki Oki

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2016. Photo left Hiroyuki Oki, right Trieu Chien

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2016. Photo Hiroyuki Oki

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2016. Photo Hiroyuki Oki

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2016. Photo Trieu Chien

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2016. Photo Hiroyuki Oki

The existing site proposed interesting design challenges, with the tree overshadowing the site, making it difficult for pedestrians to recognise the building from the main road. However, this scenario presented a unique opportunity to consider the existing tree as a main feature, creating a delicate backdrop to the ever-changing foliage.

The terracotta blocks were traditionally used in Vietnam before air-conditioning. Designed for tropical climates, they allow for passive ventilation and shade from harsh sunlight. The blocks are both functional and inexpensive at 0.49 euros each amounting to 2,362 euros for the 5,625 blocks used. Furthermore, the fixing system allowed for a quick and simple assembly.

During the day the tree shadows are cast upon the clean facade, bringing it to life. In the evening the building is illuminated from within, acting as a lantern in the city. When entering the building, visitors come across a large void. The showroom is carefully planned around it to allow a full view of the products at a glance.

01 / 07

layout1

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, ground floor plan

2 1st floor plan

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, first floor plan

3 2nd floor plan

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, second floor plan

4 3rd floor plan

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, third floor plan

5 4th floor plan

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, fourth floor plan

6 Roof plan

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, roof floor plan

layout2

Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Takashi Niwa, The Lantern showroom, section

The Lantern, Dong Da district, Hanoi, Vietnam
Program: showroom
Architects: Vo Trong Nghia, Takashi Niwa
Design team: Nguyen Thi Thoa, Koji Yamamoto, Dao Sy Dung
Client: Nanoco
Main contractors: Dai Dung JSC, T.S.I. Vietnam Co. Ltd.
Site area: 72 sqm
Floor area: 383 sqm
Completion: 2016