If in the old ages, factories are so notorious with its industrial, old, and ancient-looking establishment, then perhaps this factory and office in Hanoi will change your perception of what a factory looks like!
With a façade made of metal screens that are perforated and plants that partially cover where the screens are absent, this Star Engineers’ factory building is already iconic on its own. The combination between the colorful perforated screens – made of dark red, soft orange, light yellow, and light blue – makes the whole building slightly playful and happy, definitely very eye-catching. The presence of greens also makes the whole complex much more alive and refreshing.
Star Engineers’ factory in Hanoi is the work of Studio VDGA. Functionally, it is a manufacturing facility with an administrative office of Star Engineers themselves. Behind the unique façade, the facility has long been nominated for the winner of Dezeen Awards for its inspirational factory and office that is comfortable for the tropical climate – certainly a climate that is used to having endless summers.
On the ground floor are meeting rooms and conference rooms. The top floors are manufacturing facilities of Star Engineers and it has terraces or outdoor areas in some of the openings. It makes for a cozy and comfortable place to work in during the day because whenever someone in the building needs fresh air, anyone can take a breath outside easily.
If you take a deeper look, there is a concrete canopy that not only acts as roofing for an outdoor area, but it is also great for the tropical breeze for its air circulation. Same for the metal screens – they are perforated so that they don’t look and feel bulky but rather airy – letting the sunlight and the air in and out the openings.
“A gaze across the office presents one with the pleasing view of landscape and water instead of the blind partitions and decorative interiors,” said the architect.
The building is also equipped with an An’garden Café with a landscape design that is unique and creating an oasis in itself in the middle of Hanoi. The courtyard of the café is a mixture of paving, plants, and large stones that are again a nice retreat outdoor.
What is great about the space also is Studio VDGA’s embracing of numerous different kinds of materials on the interior. There are rooms that are mainly concrete, some that are mainly bricks, but all of them have the same tropical feel to the atmosphere, especially when there are many mini courtyards of greeneries.
