Kontum is not, perhaps, the first place you'd expect to find a piece of modern architecture, but perched on the Dakbla River is the imposing Kontum Indochine Cafe. Designed by award-winning architecture firm Vo Trong Nghia, the cafe is part of a local hotel complex which lies adjacent to Dakbla Bridge, a gateway into the city.
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The open-air space, which serves as a cafe and restaurant as well as a banquet hall, features 15 top-heavy bamboo columns. According to ArchDaily, the shape of the pillars is inpsired by traditional Vietnamese fishing baskets. A flat roof sits above with skylights interspersed throughout its thatch, plastic and bamboo frame.
You won't find any air-conditioning on the premises but Vo Trong Nghia chose instead not to enclose the space, leaving one side open to the waterfront while the other faces the nearby street.
The Indochine Cafe's rectangular layout is also surrounded by a lake dotted with tree planters. With all these natural elements, its interior resembles a bamboo forest, bringing guests a little closer to nature.
