[Hy (Troy) Nguyen - Interstitial Datum: From the Ground Below - COVER IMG] Sectional model | View to Independence Palace

Interstitial Datum: From the Ground Below

Project locationSaigon, Vietnam
University/SchoolCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Lead ArchitectHy (Troy) Nguyen
Design TeamThesis Advisor: Angela Bracco

The project proposes a public bathhouse integrated with a water cistern in Saigon city, Vietnam. Hidden in front of the historic Independence Palace, the project retraces the Vietnamese history and lifestyle to introduce a spatial void that celebrates critical silence and contemplation values, with a hope that many souls can healed, and social interactions can be elevated without the impact from urbanization. By constructing the project from the ground below, urban flooding and urban landscapes are addressed and transformed through a speculative form of architectural tree typology.