From urban ruins to a one-of-a-kind service complex

The abandoned villa at 188 Vo Thi Sau is located opposite the HCMC's Children’s Center - formerly the residence for officers working in Saigon Vice Presidential Palace. Upon discovery, the site was in an extremely under-utilized condition: part of the villa was used as a truck parking lot, another converted into a temporary living area for workers.

After analyzing all the difficulties and constraints of the project, we proposed a strategy to restore the historic beauty of the villa using its own old frame and materials, completely reconstructing the 1314m2 area into a multi-functional work environment, fully operated by Toong.

The iconic colonial-style white-column patio was restored, after a long period of being buried in concrete by the former hosts. We also transformed the two side houses into unique workplaces for businesses, bearing the vibes of contemporary “factories” with high ceilings that generously let light in.

The back house became a complex for augmenting work-experience: tranquil meeting rooms, an open pantry, and a nap dorm. Everything is connected by the iron stairs and a white cobblestone courtyard, inviting you to look up at the sky and immerse in the juxtaposition of surrounding architecture.

Autumn 2021, during the challenging period posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked with Toong to further expand the Vo Thi Sau workplace. This brought the old villa, once hidden in an alley, out to the bustling streets of District 3; equipped with a window display installation, through which bypassers can look into magical and energetic atmosphere happening inside.