AEON Mall Hòa Xuân / Vo Huu Linh Architects

Architects: Vo Huu Linh Architects
Location: Hòa Xuân Ward, Đà Nẵng, Việt Nam
Site Area: 128,917 m²
Program: Shopping Mall / Commercial Complex
Project Description

AEON Mall Hòa Xuân is conceived as an open commercial structure shaped by environmental flows rather than enclosed retail typologies. Instead of prioritizing a singular iconic form, the project explores how architecture can mediate between commerce, climate, and urban life, responding to the tropical conditions of central Vietnam.

The project is located within the Hòa Xuân Sports–Entertainment–Commercial Complex, a rapidly developing urban zone in Đà Nẵng. With a large footprint and high public capacity, the mall is envisioned not only as a shopping destination but as a civic-scale spatial infrastructure that operates throughout the day.
Design Concept: From Solid Block to Porous Form

The massing strategy begins with a solid block, subsequently articulated through a sequence of shifting, cutting, and carving operations.
This process generates a porous architectural form characterized by:

Multi-layered courtyards and open-air voids

Continuous circulation loops at different levels

Stepped volumes that reduce the perceived scale of the building

Rather than a closed retail box, the final form functions as a permeable urban organism, allowing air, light, and people to move fluidly through the complex.
Environmental Strategy and CFD Integration

Environmental performance is embedded in the early design phase through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis.
Wind simulations inform the orientation and articulation of building volumes, enabling:

Effective capture of prevailing seasonal winds

Reduction of wind acceleration in pedestrian zones

Natural ventilation deep into the building core via courtyards and atria

This approach significantly improves thermal comfort in public circulation spaces and reduces reliance on mechanical cooling in semi-outdoor areas.
Sun Path and Thermal Control

Solar studies, including apparent sun path and seasonal radiation analysis, guide the design of façades and roof profiles.
Key strategies include:

Layered façades and vertical fins to mitigate western solar exposure

Deep overhangs and recessed glazing for shaded public edges

Balanced daylight penetration into interior spaces without glare

The result is an architectural envelope that filters rather than blocks sunlight, enhancing spatial quality while controlling heat gain.
Interior Space as Spatial Flow

Inside the mall, circulation is organized as a continuous spatial experience rather than discrete retail corridors.
Curvilinear balconies, multi-level atriums, and soft ceiling geometries create visual connections across floors, transforming movement into an experiential journey.

Public interiors are designed to encourage pausing, gathering, and visual orientation—reinforcing the mall’s role as a social condenser rather than a purely transactional space.
Urban Role

AEON Mall Hòa Xuân operates as a hybrid between commercial architecture and public urban space.
Its open configuration, landscaped courtyards, and permeability allow it to integrate with surrounding neighborhoods, contributing to the broader urban fabric rather than standing apart from it.
Conclusion

AEON Mall Hòa Xuân demonstrates an alternative model for large-scale commercial architecture in tropical cities—one that prioritizes environmental intelligence, spatial continuity, and human experience.
Through an architecture shaped by wind, light, and movement, the project redefines the shopping mall as a living structure within the city.