LAPH Cafe

LAPH Cafe

3fconcept

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

ARCHITECTS
3fconcept

LEAD ARCHITECT
Phan Nhat Hung

TECHNICAL DESIGNER
Ngo Phan Quy

MANUFACTURERS
American Standard, Ghe Cong, Kova, Panasonic

INTERIOR DESIGNER
Nguyen Tran Gia Linh

PHOTOGRAPHS
Nguyen Dang Hieu

AREA
208 M²

YEAR
2024

LOCATION
Hue, Vietnam

CATEGORY
Coffee Shop

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

“CAFÉ-CÓC”

in Vietnamese, this term refers to a budget-friendly coffee shop with low seating that can be easily folded and set up as needed.

It's a place where people can quickly and conveniently drop by, order a drink, sip alone or with friends, and then go about their day.

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

This coffee shop is renovated from the two lower floors of an existing house, located on a quiet street next to a beautiful school with a history of nearly 130 years.

We aimed to design a coffee shop in the humble style of a “Café-Cóc,” combined with an interior that exudes a classic and luxurious vibe, creating a unique blend suitable for diverse customers.

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

Level 1 and the façade are designed in the “Café-Cóc” style, featuring various levels of seating, ensuring everyone has a view of the street and the school ahead.

The seating consists of low tables and chairs, complemented by raw wooden walls and a beige color scheme, fostering a friendly and comfortable atmosphere.

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

We placed three large trees in the front seating area, SUSPENDED IN THE AIR.

This concept creates a hanging garden for the lower floor and provides shade for the upper floor while saving space.

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

We first designed the second-floor balcony with a steel structure to suspend such large trees. The columns consist of four V-shaped steel bars welded directly to I-beams encased in wood.

The floor is constructed with a dense network of steel boxes, and the wooden planting frames are hung directly on this floor framework.

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

The irrigation drainage system flows through the bottom of the planting beds, runs along small pipes beside the steel beams, and then down to the ground.

The bar counter uses the same material as the floor, combined with a seamless effect on the counter legs for continuity.

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

In contrast to the free, somewhat bustling atmosphere below, Level 2 is designed as a library, offering a warm, quiet, and enclosed space.

However, it still features many windows – a sophisticated blend of classical and modern design – that opens up to the large green trees outside.

The second-floor balcony is still in use, but most guests prefer to sit inside, looking out at the trees rising from below, treating the balcony area like a pavilion.

LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu

This is an example of how architecture shapes behavior in ways we couldn’t have fully anticipated during the design process.


LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu
LAPH Cafe
© Nguyen Dang Hieu


LAPH Cafe
Plan - Ground Floor
LAPH Cafe
Plan - 1st Floor


LAPH Cafe
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LAPH Cafe
Diagram
LAPH Cafe
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