H&P Architects has completed a simple and stunning interior renovation of a hairdressing salon in Hanoi, Vietnam. The firm’s creative reuse of existing materials and goal of linking the indoor space with nature creates a stylish, warm and relaxing atmosphere for clients.
Located in the bustling neighborhood of Vân Quán, Mành Mành Salon is a compact boutique with six haircutting stations. The architects utilized elements of the old salon such as the existing door, glass façade, furniture and low-quality wood to refurbish the entire parlor as a distinctive storefront in the area.
The space evokes the traditional street hairdressing stations found throughout the city — scenes characterized by their proximity to aged, brick walls and wide-shade trees. With Mành Mành Salon, H&P Architects was inspired to build an “unusual but familiar space” for patrons by stimulating the five basic senses through decorative features.
The light-filled interior and use of climbing vines (sight) bring the outside world into the trendy space, while the fragrance of flowers (smell) and herbal tea (taste) nurture a leisurely atmosphere. In addition, clients are treated to massage and styling (touch) as they listen to the soft rustling of 200,000 wooden beads that hang from the ceiling (sound).
The beads, made from recycled wood, dangle from the pitched ceiling at different lengths, producing a gentle, rippling pattern. The wood is tinted with a bright yellow finish, the end bead topped in black, giving the salon a golden hue at all hours of the day. The room is shaped by open-faced brick walls and sleek, light-wood benches and countertops. The juxtaposing patterns of brick, lined wood, black leather seats and golden beading within the space give it exceptional depth and a polished aesthetic.
H&P Architects has turned Mành Mành Salon into a bold, seductive piece of modern interior design while empowering the facility to offer an intimate and relaxing experience to its clients.
All images courtesy of H&P Architects