Inside Out
A new office in Saigon has responded to the city's frantic development by bringing the greenery indoors, in a remarkable garden workplace that provides soothing serenity
Saigon design firm MIA – it stands for Master planning, Interior and Architecture – was founded back in 2003 by principal architect Nguyen Hoang Manh. From small beginnings they’ve now grown to a multidisciplinary team of more than 50 staff.
I asked him what the Vietnamese architecture scene was like when he founded the company – and how those times compare to the present day. “In 2003, architecture companies didn’t concentrate on enhancing the space or creating new perspectives in design, instead they just did what they were told,” he recalled. “People tended to build houses based on their own view without seeking suggestions or input from architects. MIA was born as a reaction to this situation, and an attempt to change this practice.”
In today’s increasingly competitive landscape, MIA aims to stand apart from other design companies by focusing on creating connections with nature and, as much as possible, erasing the boundaries between interiors and exteriors. For example, “Mr Green’s Office [the MIA name for their most recent project preserves the privacy of their client] is the perfect example of this idea,” explains Manh. “From conception to completion, this project has been defined by the ideas of ‘inside-out and outside-in’, while still hewing to all the basic design principles of architecture and beauty.”
I ask him if there’s a connection with Mr Green’s industry, or if the design is instead reflective of his personal preferences. “Our client works in the financial sector,” says Manh. “In contrast with his high-pressure job, he always desired a comfortable yet lively working environment – a place where he can come up with more creative ideas. It has been our pleasure to meet a person that has the same design thinking as us.”
When MIA first presented their ‘indoors outdoor office' design idea, the client “fell in love with it straight away,” Manh explains. However, MIA faced challenges from the very beginning: “During the design process, the main initial challenge was how we could provide the natural environment requested in the small concrete office space.”
It led MIA to research new knowledge and technology, providing an opportunity for the architects to learn new things and have more experience for projects in the future. However, there were parts of the original design that they weren't able to implement. “We aren’t completely satisfied with the welcome area,” says Manh. “When finished it wasn’t quite the same as the original design, which had glass pots with tree branches grown hydroponically to make for a truly grand garden view when you stepped off the elevator. But unfortunately, our local manufacturers don’t yet have this technology.”
There is a global ongoing architectural trend to add gardens or green podiums to the design of new buildings – I asked Manh if he saw this trend emerging in Saigon yet. “I feel that up until the present day, plants and trees in design and architecture have mainly been used just for aesthetics in Vietnam. We don’t really consider the natural living environment or the long-lasting sustainable value. That said, Vietnam is now on the path to apply sustainability in different fields. I feel that the products which are sustainable in both the fashion and architecture fields have more attention now.”
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