The proposed Hanoi Lotus Centre doesn't just pay homage to the national flower of Vietnam in name only; Decibel Architecture has designed the building to physically resemble a series of young lotus blossoms.
The Centre will be positioned along one of the city’s main roads and, per the City of Hanoi’s request, will sit atop a lake that will act as part of the city’s stormwater control system. The building is being designed using a pentagonal grid system. This type of system was selected as a metaphor representing the five points of an outstretched person and because ratios of five are common in nature, especially in the organization of petal structures. Five smaller lotus blossoms will surround a large, main blossom that will become the central node.
The building will house a variety of functions and spaces such as a restaurant, incubator and startup offices, 3D and 4D cinemas, multiple auditoriums, outdoor circulation, and an ice skating rink.
It isn’t just the building’s exterior that will resemble the lotus flower, as the ceiling to the main interior circulation space is inspired by the colors and patterns found on the underside of a lotus leaf. The ceiling will blend into the central auditorium volume where colored skylights and light boxes will be added. The architects say the light that comes in through these fixtures will mimic the experience of being under lotus leaves.
The exterior petals of the faux lotus leaves will act as the Hanoi Lotus Centre’s façade and will also provide shade to the restaurant and VIP areas. Each petal is created from layers of fins, glazing, shells, and support structures.
The Hanoi Lotus Centre is intended as a gateway project, providing a sense of arrival to visitors and locals driving down the main road that connects Noi Bai Airport with the greater city. The new park and cultural center is envisioned as a meeting place for the community, a multifunctional theater and performance space, and a symbol of Hanoi’s growth and prosperity.
Hanoi Lotus from Ryan on Vimeo.
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture. (Click to enlarge)
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture. (Click to enlarge)
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.
Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.
Related Stories
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 16, 2014
6 U.S. cities at the forefront of innovation districts
A new Brookings Institution study records the emergence of “competitive places that are also cool spaces.”
| Jun 13, 2014
First look: BIG's spiraling museum for watchmaker Audemars Piguet
The glass-and-steel pavilion's spiral structure acts as a storytelling device for the company's history.
| Jun 12, 2014
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects' design selected for new UCSC facility
The planned site is a natural landscape among redwood trees with views over Monterey Bay, a site that the architects have called “one of the most beautiful they have ever worked on.”
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| Jun 11, 2014
David Adjaye’s housing project in Sugar Hill nears completion
A new development in New York's historic Sugar Hill district nears completion, designed to be an icon for the neighborhood's rich history.
| Jun 9, 2014
Green Building Initiative launches Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors program
The new program focuses exclusively on the sustainable design and construction of interior spaces in nonresidential buildings and can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces.
| Jun 4, 2014
Want to design a Guggenheim? Foundation launches open competition for proposed Helsinki museum
This is the first time the Guggenheim Foundation has sought a design through an open competition. Anonymous submissions for stage one of the competition are due September 10, 2014.
| Jun 4, 2014
Construction team named for Atlanta Braves ballpark
A joint venture between Barton Malow, Brasfield & Gorrie, Mortenson Construction, and New South Construction will build the Atlanta Braves ballpark, which is scheduled to open in early 2017. Check out the latest renderings of the plan.
| May 30, 2014
Riding high: L.A., Chicago working on their version of the High Line elevated park
Cities around the U.S. are taking notice of New York's highly popular High Line elevated park system. Both Chicago and Los Angeles are currently working on High Line-like projects.
