Copper-Colored Staircase And Mini-Bamboo Trees Provide Tropical Interior For This Office In Vietnam

This copper-colored staircase is placed in the interior of an office space in Vietnam to create a tropical feeling inside to its employees.

Designed by Hanoi-based architecture firm iplus Architecture, the 670-square-metre office space was designed for Giao Hang Tiet Kiem., JSC, a grown start-up delivery company found in 2012, with core values as "fast, flexible and friendly".

Called 0219 GHTK Interior Office, the project’s scope covers interiors design and accomplishment on a given rough building with brief background as follows: the total interior plain area premises: 4,675 square meters, Number of floor: 11 (including 01 lobby, 09 for working and 01 for complex utility), the building’s direction: North East with 03 open sides, the investor’s identity color: dark green.

The architects used local mini-bamboo trees to this stand-alone building, and all trees were applied along the two sides of the lobby to filter away the strong sunlight that maintained throughout the daytime.

The bamboo green is naturally peaceful and quite fundamental to the local living so that easily creates engagement and a contrast effect against the hot and dusty street outside.

In addition, polished concrete is selected for flooring thanks to its rough surface and eyes-comforted grey tone. For some decades, the cement flooring has been used popularly in the country before being replaced by ceramic materials, thus such reapplication is one way back to the good memories and, together with the tropical green trees, accomplishing the background of local identity to enable a hidden connection with the building’s people which mostly the drivers and office staffs.

The waving shadow can be seen on the floor while sunlight slipping through the bamboo in the morning and also sunset time. Large space is divided with various domes, inspired by the bamboo pipe structure, that on one side scoping down the focuses and on the other, taking in the eyes the details to open another space. To ensure the consistency of natural concept, white plain light is used as a support in the lobby.

For balancing against the static effects brought by the grey floor and big domes, a number of irregular flowing structures are specifically designed for the lobby including oasis seating, ceiling and tree pots.

The master tone for all moving lines is natural wooden color from oak and rattan with a little bit fading effect starting at the side-doors heading to the center reception.

"The winding stairs from pure copper was coated by our own process for insulation and oxygen-free but still retain the original color of copper to make it the space’s spotlight," said the firm.

Project facts

Project name: 0219 GHTK Interior Office

Architects: iplus Architecture

Size: 670m2

Location: Vietnam

Date: 2019

Lead Architect: Phuong Thao Dao

Collaborators: Thanh Hai Le, Quang Quyen Trieu, Ngoc Hoa Nguyen