The Nắng Suites | o9 Design Studio

The Nắng Suites are located near the seafront of the coastal city of Da Nang, 500m away from My Khe beach. The philosophy of The Nắng encourages communality as opposed to anonymity. Designed to meet the needs of both short and long-term residents, it is important that a sense of homeliness is fostered, no matter the duration of the stay.
 
Working within the spatial planning constraints, a vertical void through the heart of the building creates internal open space in a neighbourhood characterised by narrow, tightly packed tube houses.
 
The 4-storey building is organised into two distinct elements - private and communal. All eight of the suites are on the upper floors, spaced around perpendicular sides of the central void for privacy/autonomy. The void molds the privacy of individual suites, whilst simultaneously choreographing interaction between each level of the building. The ground floor area serves as the co-living hub consisting of a kitchenette, dining table, lounge, library, movie room, laundry room and parking spaces.
 
From the street the building has the appearance of neatly stacked blocks. On its exterior, alternating floor to ceiling wood panelled walls and large windows create a rhythm of solidity and light. A hand-woven, multi-panel screen door forms the entire façade of the ground floor. It invites natural elements into the building - diffusing the intensity of the sunlight, and maximising air circulation. As you enter, the dramatic vertical void acts as a bridge between an outside and inside world.
 
The Nắng Suites’ interior design is influenced by Western European styles of the 1960s and given a contemporary update. A limited palette of bold reds, greens and blues - a nod to the Mid Century Modern style - complement the richness of the dark walnut wood. This high quality wood was chosen for its lively surface structure, treated with a minimal transparent finish that celebrates the inherent aesthetic character of its grain.
 
Terrazzo in a muted palette evoking the sky and sea is used for the bathroom floors and inset bathroom fixtures. The terrazzo floor design featured in the bathrooms and the communal area is echoed in the decorative wooden dividing screen by the entrance of the building. These patterns of circles and half circles are redolent of the paintings of Sophie Taeuber-Arp and the work of the Abstraction–Création group of the 1930s and 40s - which champions abstract geometric art and emphasises the power of line, form and colour.
 
Large tropical plants are found on all the external and internal balconies. Their bold organic forms offset the straight lines of the building and connect the residents to the nearby forested hills, whilst also filtering the air and reducing the heat radiation. The dynamic roof design features a combination of louvers and grid work, allowing natural light in and heat to escape. Dynamic shadows cast by the open skylight create an animated interpretation of the outside world.
 
The Nắng Suites forges a new kind of internal landscape, comprised of impromptu meeting spaces - sites for both spontaneous and planned encounters. Through carefully considered communal space, people are encouraged to interact in ways they wouldn’t if brushing past each other in closed off corridors.