Looks like we'll be working remote today.
The Cocoa Project is a new cafe on Nguyễn Đình Chiểu Street designed by T3 Architects. The design intention of the project was to give new life to a 1950s modernist villa while creating a place for Vietnamese to reconnect with the city's architectural heritage.
Another goal is to highlight the high-quality cocoa produced in the Mekong Delta and used in goods sold at the cafe.
According to T3, the villa was practically invisible at the start thanks to layers of industrial finishing that covered the walls and facade, turning it into a dark, unwelcoming space. To open up the building, the team removed part of the roof and some walls, creating a tropical garden in the front while also allowing ample natural light to flood in.
Modernist architectural flourishes have also been exposed, with T3 describing their work on the building more as an "archeological" mission than an interior design mission. The end result is a bright space featuring all the usual modern creature comforts that also highlights Saigon's past. Take a look at this beautiful new spot below.
[Photos by Hiroyuki Oki, via T3 Architects.]
