Excerpt: VTN Architects’ Vedana Restaurant features a three-gabled circular roof influenced by traditional architecture. The stepped roof is made up of 36 modular frames that provide the impression of a multi-level structure despite being on a single floor. The restaurant is perfectly located adjacent to an artificial lake, which acts as a natural air conditioner. The openness of the restaurant provides visitors with a rich spatial experience.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] Embedded itself at the edge of Cuc Phuong, a forest situated in the foothills of mountains and diverse vegetation, Vedana Restaurant is a part of the Vedana Resort masterplan. VTN Architects was in charge of both projects. The resort was designed with a capacity to accommodate up to 1350 people in 135 villas, five condotels, and eight bungalows. As a significant structure, the restaurant is located in the centre of the resort. The space is used for all-day dining but can be converted to host larger events such as weddings, among other purposes.
The three-gabled circular roof, spanning as much as 1050 sq m, is assembled from two stacked ring-shaped roofs and a dome roof on top that is detached by light strips, respectively. The biggest radius measures around 18 m, while the structure height stands at almost 16 m, making it VTN Architects’ highest bamboo structure to date. The stepped roof, inspired by traditional architecture, is made of 36 modular frames that appear like a multi-level structure, yet they are on a single floor.
The restaurant is positioned strategically next to an artificial lake that functions as a natural air conditioner. Making use of the lake is essential considering the hot and humid weather during the summer in Cuc Phuong Commune in particular and northern Vietnam in general. Additionally, the lake is also a huge reservoir to store rainwater and groundwater from the mountains.
Subsequently, the lake is utilised for irrigation of all plants on the 16.4-hectare site, including around 15000 blossom trees, as part of the resort’s long-term plans. Having that in mind, the restaurant is positioned in the middle of that resort’s blossom forest. The view towards the blossoming forest, the mountains, and the lake is omnipresent for visitors, even from the middle of the dorm-shaped structure.
Thanks to the openness of the restaurant, the indoor space ascends slowly to the outdoor space via a semi-outdoor space, creating a rich spatial experience for visitors. They can feel both the interior and exterior space, as well as the inside of the bamboo architecture and the outside consisting of the mountains and lake, at the same time.
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