Architects: Long Nguyen Design
Area: 500 m²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki
Lead Architect: Nguyen Thanh Long
Design Team: Nguyen Thi To Tam, Tran Quang Thanh
Creative Director: Pham Duy Khoi
Country: Vietnam

Nhà Tú Garden Restaurant, designed by Long Nguyen Design, is located at the intersection of residential and industrial areas in Nhon Trach, Dong Nai, Vietnam. The design concept focuses on integration and creating a “small garden” within a “large garden.” The main structure features a large box shape with a central outdoor tropical garden, bamboo shading, and an infinity pool to regulate heat. The restaurant includes a multi-functional VIP dining space with flexible glass doors and a central garden area designed to bring natural elements indoors. Combining new industrial techniques with traditional craftsmanship, the structure uses prefabricated steel frames, bamboo panels, and locally crafted furnishings, resembling a museum of artisanal craftsmanship. The project highlights sustainable design and local cultural heritage.

Nhà Tú Garden Restaurant / Long Nguyen Design

Nhà Tú Garden enjoys a unique geographical location, acting as a junction between residential and industrial zones. The project’s main design direction was guided by the concept of integration. To create a “green” focal point for the area, the architect envisioned a “small garden” within a “large garden.”

The main space is designed as a large box, with its height matching the nearby workshop buildings. The center is hollowed out to form an outdoor tropical garden. From the street entrance to the garden area, there’s an interplay of “human-water-greenery” elements. An infinity pool extends across the front facade, acting as a regulating feature that reduces heat radiation from the street into the building. All elevations are structured in two layers.

The outer layer consists of a bamboo shading system with a buffer zone that includes voids, courtyards, verandas, and perimeter walls. The outdoor dining area incorporates the “hàng ba,” a common feature in Southern Vietnamese architecture, to provide sound and thermal insulation for the main indoor space. This is followed by a moat and a void, serving as a cushioning layer around the main building block. The indoor dining area has centrally arranged seating, ensuring that every corner of the restaurant has access to the garden.

To accommodate both small and large parties, the architect designed an additional VIP dining space that is multi-functional. Utilizing the opening, closing, and rotating functions of glass doors, this space can adapt to various usage needs. The central garden area is designed like a skylight cave, creating a tropical ecosystem that incorporates natural elements such as sun, rain, and wind. When closed, the garden resembles a lively miniature scene; when open, it transforms into a small forest, allowing natural breezes and light to flow into the building. The placement of the open doors is carefully calculated to minimize the impact of hot, dry winds and enhance the flow of cool breezes.

The construction plan merges new industrial techniques with traditional craftsmanship from local artisans. The main structure employs prefabricated steel frames, sourced from nearby industrial workshops. Brick walls are finished with brush-textured paint, while the concrete floor is polished with rolled cement to create a natural surface. The ceiling’s steel frame is adorned with manually interconnected woven bamboo panels. Traditional fired bricks accentuate the bar and toilet areas. The building resembles a museum of artisanal craftsmanship, featuring items collected and commissioned from local workshops. From furniture to tableware and curtains, all elements use natural materials crafted by artisans from across Vietnam.