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Quang Minh Spa & Office
Quang Minh Spa & Office
Hà Đông, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Quang Minh Spa & Office
Hà Đông, Hanoi, Vietnam
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2024
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$50K - 100K
Reappraising Neoclassical Architecture
When tasked with designing the Quang Minh Spa & Office, XMA faced an intriguing challenge: how to fulfill the client's desire for a Neoclassical-style building while ensuring that it remained functional and relevant within a contemporary context.
Neoclassical architecture, largely inspired by French colonial design, continues to thrive in Vietnam despite frequent criticism from modern architectural discourse. Across new urban developments, both low-rise and high-rise buildings in this style emerge continuously, often associated with notions of “luxury” and “prestige.” Ornate decorative moldings, robust classical columns, and symmetrical compositions remain highly favored aesthetic symbols. However, in Vietnam, this style has increasingly fallen into a repetitive pattern, where mechanical replication has led to a lack of contextual harmony and inadequate responses to contemporary needs. This issue is evident in many exemplary modern residential projects in Vietnam, which are, in fact, reconfigurations of the structural frameworks of previously built "pseudo-classical" constructions. The problem extends beyond the use of artificial materials to mimic classical details awkwardly—it also reflects a lack of creative confidence and practical application, resulting in visually overwhelming and functionally inefficient designs.
With the project at 82 Nguyễn Khuyến, Hà Đông, XMA experimented with a new approach to addressing the demand for Neoclassical aesthetics. The characteristic curves and arch forms of classical architecture were preserved but reinterpreted and integrated directly into the building’s structural framework and spatial organization, rather than merely applied as surface ornamentation. The choice of a distinctive yellow facade, reminiscent of historic French villas, evokes a sense of nostalgia while allowing the building to harmonize with its urban surroundings. Modern construction techniques, such as the use of sustainable materials and the optimization of natural lighting, were also incorporated to ensure long-term operational efficiency.
This project not only fulfills aesthetic expectations but is also designed with flexibility to accommodate its dual functions as both a spa and an office. Interior spaces are carefully optimized to create a luxurious yet comfortable experience for visitors while ensuring smooth and efficient operations. Rather than positioning classical and modern elements as opposing forces, the design demonstrates how these aspects can complement one another, creating both timeless beauty and functional efficiency.
"Reappraising Classical Architecture" is not merely about preserving historical values but also about innovating and fostering sustainable development within Vietnamese architecture. Through this project, XMA aims to introduce a new design approach that responds to contemporary demands while maintaining fundamental architectural values. This building serves as a statement on how classical and modern architecture can be seamlessly integrated—bridging the past and the future.
When tasked with designing the Quang Minh Spa & Office, XMA faced an intriguing challenge: how to fulfill the client's desire for a Neoclassical-style building while ensuring that it remained functional and relevant within a contemporary context.
Neoclassical architecture, largely inspired by French colonial design, continues to thrive in Vietnam despite frequent criticism from modern architectural discourse. Across new urban developments, both low-rise and high-rise buildings in this style emerge continuously, often associated with notions of “luxury” and “prestige.” Ornate decorative moldings, robust classical columns, and symmetrical compositions remain highly favored aesthetic symbols. However, in Vietnam, this style has increasingly fallen into a repetitive pattern, where mechanical replication has led to a lack of contextual harmony and inadequate responses to contemporary needs. This issue is evident in many exemplary modern residential projects in Vietnam, which are, in fact, reconfigurations of the structural frameworks of previously built "pseudo-classical" constructions. The problem extends beyond the use of artificial materials to mimic classical details awkwardly—it also reflects a lack of creative confidence and practical application, resulting in visually overwhelming and functionally inefficient designs.
With the project at 82 Nguyễn Khuyến, Hà Đông, XMA experimented with a new approach to addressing the demand for Neoclassical aesthetics. The characteristic curves and arch forms of classical architecture were preserved but reinterpreted and integrated directly into the building’s structural framework and spatial organization, rather than merely applied as surface ornamentation. The choice of a distinctive yellow facade, reminiscent of historic French villas, evokes a sense of nostalgia while allowing the building to harmonize with its urban surroundings. Modern construction techniques, such as the use of sustainable materials and the optimization of natural lighting, were also incorporated to ensure long-term operational efficiency.
This project not only fulfills aesthetic expectations but is also designed with flexibility to accommodate its dual functions as both a spa and an office. Interior spaces are carefully optimized to create a luxurious yet comfortable experience for visitors while ensuring smooth and efficient operations. Rather than positioning classical and modern elements as opposing forces, the design demonstrates how these aspects can complement one another, creating both timeless beauty and functional efficiency.
"Reappraising Classical Architecture" is not merely about preserving historical values but also about innovating and fostering sustainable development within Vietnamese architecture. Through this project, XMA aims to introduce a new design approach that responds to contemporary demands while maintaining fundamental architectural values. This building serves as a statement on how classical and modern architecture can be seamlessly integrated—bridging the past and the future.
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