A+H architects wraps vietnam café with large, rotating glass doors + perforated steel panels

a+h architects unveils serene coffee shop in vietnam

Engulfed in greenery, A+H Architects’ Nomad Café in Dong Nai, Vietnam, draws on the spirit of nomadism to conceive this coffee shop which unites the local culture with modern design. Nomad Café is located in a religious area where much of the population are devout Catholics, hence the architects create a chapel-like atmosphere that is serene, spiritual and open. The design takes advantage of the surrounding landscape, optimizing the internal and external usable areas to offer a variety of seating experiences for visitors. Exposed concrete surfaces, large, rotating glass walls and a semi-transparent elevation blur the boundaries between exterior and interior, immersing the coffee shop’s guests in nature and creating a natural, relaxed ambience. 

all images courtesy of A+H Architects

nomad Café draws on the form and atmosphere of a chapel

Nomad Café is located in a religious area of Bien Hoa city, where most of the population are devout Catholics, with a church located every few kilometers. Drawing on this local culture, A+H Architects incorporates the image and atmosphere of a small chapel to create a light, quiet space with a serene atmosphere, and offer an experience that extends beyond simply enjoying a cup of coffee.

With the limited interior space, the architects arrange the furniture in a composition which optimizes the useable area, creating an open and airy design with a variety of seating experiences; visitors can sit in a quiet, intimate nook by the window or gather together under a luminous void while enjoying views of the nature outside, or enjoy the outdoor patio seating areas engulfed by plants. A+H Architects further integrates the structure into its encompassing landscape with movable glass walls that wrap the elevation, and skylights and voids that bring natural light in from all angles. Blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior, the inner spaces form a dialogue with the surrounding nature, allowing guests to experience nature directly and closely from within.

the ground floor is an open plan space, with a system of rotating steel-glass doors along the façade

a luminous void connects the interior and exterior

With a clearly distinguished program, the ground floor is an open plan space, with a system of rotating steel-glass doors along the façade, connecting the interior and exterior. On the upper floor, A+H Architects create a quiet, intimate and homely atmosphere, composed of two distinct areas. The indoor area is connected to the ground floor through a void, allowing visitors to see the surrounding views, and the outdoor area comprises a balcony lining the façade, creating a themed buffer space between the inside and outside.

With Nomad Café’s form, the architects retain the old reinforced concrete structure, exposing the rough surface. They incorporate an additional perforated corrugated steel plate module and a rotating glass door system module along the elevation. Meanwhile an elliptic iron scale is calculated to optimize the area. Throughout, minimal materials have been used to create a stark contrast between steel, glass, concrete and hand-crafted floor and wall finishes. A+H Architects intends for the materials to be retreated, moved and reused for future projects, this mobility reinforcing the coffee shop’s name, Nomad.

a void visually connects the upper and lower floors, and the interior and exterior

a winding steel staircase connects the floors, contrasting the rough exposed concrete walls

a light, quiet space with a serene atmosphere offers an immersive experience

the design takes advantage of the surrounding landscape, optimizing the internal and external areas for seating

Nomad Café features a steel perforated facade with large glazed doors

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project info:

name: Nomad Café
architecture: A+H architects

location: Dong Nai, Vietnam

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom