HOLIDAY INN & SUITES - SAIGON AIRPORT PLAZA | SSA ARCHITECTS

The Holiday Inn & Suite Airport is the very first Holiday Inn in the country.

Project based in city center just 5 minutes drive from International Airport. With the total of 59.115 sqm on 15 storeys , The Holiday Inn & Suite is a large scale interior project with various spaces type: departure lobby, main lobby, departure lounge, déli café, all day dining restaurant & bar, multi-configuration meeting rooms, ballroom & event venue and more importantly 350 outstanding hotel guestrooms.  

"THE PROJECT IS A COMBINED EXPRESSION OF INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL IDENTITY WITH THE INTEGRATION OF THE HOLIDAY INN SPIRIT DEVELOPPED ALONG THE DIFFERENT PATHS OF A GUEST JOURNEY"

The initial obvious identity of this hotel is related to the “airport”: traveling spirits and international atmosphere. Project’s Design Firm aims to highlight that each building is unique and related to its location in the area also. This has been the main inspiration: the duality between the local and international.

Following that idea, they developed other complementary dualities as for instance: modern / traditional, urban / rural etc. With those dualities, the Designer has been able to design various spaces where the international brand is clearly identified in its specific context.

Having this strong inspiration, they set up a story line that is maintained along the whole design process: reminding the country’s culture, in following the brand Spirit. From International to local, with indigenous design. Using local materials such as bamboo into modern decor, lighting, and furniture. Using traditional elements such as conic hat, to be turned into contemporary features.

For instance, bamboo features were shaped around the theme of City’s River, displayed alternatively on walls or suspended to the ceiling. Main ceiling lights have been uniquely set up for the hotel in different forms, located within all lobbies, made up from bamboo tubes and strip light tubes and named as ‘Bird Nest’ lights. ‘Bird’ lights (All Day Dining area) and ‘Eggs’ lights (Departure Lounge) were also developed to bring the second narrative for the project: airport / flight / travel. The Allegory of Birds comes in this sense. Artworks have also been carefully curated and display all along the Hotel like an exhibition of the City’s multiplicity by exploring again the mentioned dualities.

In addition, it is noted the guest room has been set up for the very first time under a new template “Built for Success”. The Designer brought to reality a new standard of IHG for the next generation of Holiday Inn guestrooms.

A complex multivalent ribbon holds all important functions including luggage rack, mini bar, desk area and a couch. Overscale artwork above bed head that featured local scenery completes the design in the story line set up within the entire project.

One fundamental challenge of this project was the variety of spaces with several functions in total of 59.115 sqm, including different reception areas, restaurant, multi-configuration meeting rooms, ballroom, departure lounge, deli café, long corridors and 350 prominent bedrooms.

Main target was to create a unity for the entire project while keeping for each space their own identity. With that vision, Design Firm set up a color strategy with general common color scheme to create a link through all spaces (Lime Green / Yellow / Magenta / Cyan) but choosing one specific color to a specific space to create their own character. In combination with colors, repeated elements and materials such as bamboo, artworks or timber were used in different creative way to help build the unity and the identity of the project.

Regarding shape design, curves were aesthetically drawn in few strategic areas or taking advantages with some touch of smooth body elements. Overall, it made a complete sense with the narrative: expressing naturally the City River. These special curves appear on main lobby’s floor, on all the counters (reception, lobby, bar etc…) and also in main features.