The Hanoi Lotus Centre will bloom from the middle of a lake

The proposed Hanoi Lotus Centre doesn't just pay homage to the national flower of Vietnam in name only; Decibel Architecture has designed the building to physically resemble a series of young lotus blossoms.

The Centre will be positioned along one of the city’s main roads and, per the City of Hanoi’s request, will sit atop a lake that will act as part of the city’s stormwater control system. The building is being designed using a pentagonal grid system. This type of system was selected as a metaphor representing the five points of an outstretched person and because ratios of five are common in nature, especially in the organization of petal structures. Five smaller lotus blossoms will surround a large, main blossom that will become the central node.

The building will house a variety of functions and spaces such as a restaurant, incubator and startup offices, 3D and 4D cinemas, multiple auditoriums, outdoor circulation, and an ice skating rink.

It isn’t just the building’s exterior that will resemble the lotus flower, as the ceiling to the main interior circulation space is inspired by the colors and patterns found on the underside of a lotus leaf. The ceiling will blend into the central auditorium volume where colored skylights and light boxes will be added. The architects say the light that comes in through these fixtures will mimic the experience of being under lotus leaves.

The exterior petals of the faux lotus leaves will act as the Hanoi Lotus Centre’s façade and will also provide shade to the restaurant and VIP areas. Each petal is created from layers of fins, glazing, shells, and support structures.

The Hanoi Lotus Centre is intended as a gateway project, providing a sense of arrival to visitors and locals driving down the main road that connects Noi Bai Airport with the greater city. The new park and cultural center is envisioned as a meeting place for the community, a multifunctional theater and performance space, and a symbol of Hanoi’s growth and prosperity.

Hanoi Lotus from Ryan on Vimeo.

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture. (Click to enlarge)

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture. (Click to enlarge)

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.

Rendering courtesy of Decibel Architecture.