The Kaleidoscope
Office and Residence for Hoang Long Mineral JSC
The Kaleidoscope is the living and working building located at a factory site in central Vietnam. Placed between the hill and the sea, it frames diverse (kaleidoscopic) views in directions and times. The project aims at creating a protected space from the tropical climate, and enhancing the user’s contact with nature. Under a roof resembling a Non La, a traditional farmer’s hat of Vietnam, multiple V-shaped walls divide the floors into triangular private rooms and in-between common spaces, allowing for constantly changing natural light and ventilation conditions throughout the building.
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The Kaleidoscope by Kosuke Nishijima
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Office and Residence by Kosuke Nishijima
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Kosuke Nishijima The Kaleidoscope
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Kosuke Nishijima Office and Residence
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The Kaleidoscope Office and Residence Media Articles
Ready for your features: articles on The Kaleidoscope in various languages, including Dutch, Italian, German, French, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Hindi, Turkish, Arabic (Standard), Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, Spanish and English.
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.
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
Project Overview
The Kaleidoscope Office and Residence has been a Silver winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2022 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Silver Recognition
Kosuke Nishijima was recognized with the coveted Silver A' Design Award in 2023, a testament to excellence of their work The Kaleidoscope Office and Residence.
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