Nocenco Cafe / VTN Architects

Architects: VTN Architects
Area: 687 m²
Year: 2018
Photographs: Trieu Chien
Bamboo Contractor: VTN Architects
City: Vinh
Country: Vietnam

Nocenco Cafe, a renovation project by VTN Architects in Vinh City, Vietnam, transforms the 7th floor and rooftop of a mid-rise concrete building into a bamboo-clad café and club. Overlooking the river, forests, and historical buildings, the project preserves the existing structure while introducing bamboo as a lightweight and sustainable material. Bamboo columns create private, cave-like spaces on the top floor, while the rooftop features a striking dome structure, visible citywide, serving as a communal gathering space. Framed views from rectangular volumes connect the café to the cityscape, blending modern design with the local context.

This renovation project features a café situated on the top floor and rooftop of a 7-story mid-rise concrete building in the center of Vinh City, located in northern Vietnam.

From these levels, visitors enjoy sweeping views of the surrounding low-rise houses, the river, lush forests, and buildings of varying ages. Many buildings in this area were damaged during the Vietnam War and later renovated with colonial-style façades influenced by European designs. Today, regardless of their height, some structures continue to replicate this architectural style.

The client requested that the existing building’s envelope remain unchanged while adding a unique and visually striking element to transform it into a city landmark. The challenge was to make a significant impact on the building by incorporating a new structure using distinctive local materials.

Following an assessment of local materials such as brick and stone, bamboo was chosen for the project. Its availability in the tropical climate makes it a practical choice, reducing both construction time and costs. The design emphasizes the “lightness” of bamboo, as it can be carried by a few workers and easily transported to upper floors using a crane.

Furthermore, the bamboo structure can be installed without requiring any extra structural support.

On the 7th floor (top floor), the existing concrete structure was clad in bamboo, transforming it into a feature that enhances spatial qualities. With the ceiling also covered in bamboo, the space becomes visually recognizable to pedestrians from the street below.

The design includes 10 bamboo columns that conceal the existing structure along with 4 additional columns. These columns gracefully divide the space into distinct private areas. The cave-like interior cannot be fully experienced at once, yet every section offers a view of the surrounding cityscape.

The rooftop features a massive dome structure, visible from across the city, which houses a rooftop club designed as a gathering space for the residents of Vinh City.

The dome and rectangular volumes on the rooftop are seamlessly integrated into the existing L-shaped space. The rectangular volumes create framed views of the historic stadium and the scenic cityscape. Furthermore, they connect two vaulted bamboo structures that open outward to embrace the surrounding urban landscape.