The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

THE ART SPACE GALLERY & RESTAURANT

ShapeUs studio

ARCHITECTS
ShapeUs studio

ART CURATOR
March Galley Hoi An

LIGHTING
Kingled

CLIENTS
Minor International, Anantara Hoi An

MANUFACTURERS
AutoDesk, Kingled.vn, Triquimex

DESIGN TEAM
Kai Echigo, Nguyen Le Hien Vi, Ly Lac Thy, Tran Hoang Khanh Vy, Koa Pham, Nguyen Tan Lan Uyen, Hoang Le Ha

CONTRACTOR
Thai Binh Duong IDCD

PHOTOGRAPHS
Hiroyuki Oki

AREA
300 m²

YEAR
2018 

LOCATION
Hội An, Vietnam

CATEGORY
Restaurant, Gallery 

Text description provided by architects.

After one of the largest floods of the year in central Vietnam, our client approached us to help reimagine a damagedsite in Hoi An as a restaurant and gallery. Our design nurtures a new hub for the local community.

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

Home to the first 3D-printed food in the country and new exhibitions of local artists, it is a space to look forward in a city that is steeped in heritage.

Instead of writing over the historical identities ingrained in the existing French colonial building, we wanted to bring them to light, stripping away the ruined modern claddings to reveal the original structure.

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

We placed new white walls to protect the base of the historic brick walls, whose revealed materiality becomes a part of the exhibit.

Hoi An’s iconic imagery, the city’s lanterns and bridges reflecting in the Thu Bon river, became central to our approach as well. The new and old wall illustrate a reflection of past and future, across a dividing metal channel that becomes the physical support for gallery artwork.

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

Wandering through the interior, art continues to float around you, suspended from the ceiling and embedded in transparent glass walls.

As gallery blends into restaurant, the room’s central space is framed by the building’s existing concrete columns and beams.

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

Our modern furniture design and illuminated bar bring a calm and comfortable smoothness against the exposed brick and concrete.

Elements of permeability and material juxtaposition continue as we step into the exterior space. Outside, wooden beams extend from the structure of the building, and progressively step down towards the street.

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

Among the glazed beams and underneath a thin glass roof, more traditional bamboo screens hang and gently filter sunlight.

The seating area pavement curves around the landscape and leans inwards, inviting people on the street to come in.

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

We designed the pavement step height to provide additional casual seating for anyone to relax and enjoy the shade.

Situated on the outskirts of the Old City in Hoi An, this gallery and restaurant is to be found by locals and only the most determined of tourists.

The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki

We hope that the intersection of new food, art and architecture attracts a diversity of visitors and continues to foster new dimensions of community in Hoi An.


The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki


The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
© Hiroyuki Oki


The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
Roof Plan
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
Plan


The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
Elevation
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
Elevation


The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
Section
The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
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The Art Space Gallery & Restaurant
Diagram