Doan Ket
Striking, lotus inspired award winning residential apartment complex in Hanoi.
Sector: Apartments
Country: Vietnam
Client: Private
Services: Architecture
Year: 2009
Competing against seven international practices, MAP won the competition for this a high-end residential development on the shores of Doan Ket (West Lake), Hanoi, with its striking design. Doan Ket is one of Hanoi’s most prestigious locations and this was the last prime site in the area located on the north side of the lake with views of the Royal Palace.
Vietnam’s planning regulations are based on site and area coverage, in this instance, coverage was limited to forty per cent while allowable gross floor area set at five times the area of the site (90,000 square metres). The MAP design restricts coverage to twenty per cent, liberating more of the site for landscaping.
The podium accommodates shops, restaurants, sports and residential facilities as well as a kindergarten. Above the podium rises four slender towers, one apartment deep so all residents will avail of views south over the lake. The four towers are arranged side by side to create a single, gently curving composition inspired by the lotus flowers for which the lake is famous.
Energy efficiency was a key concern and all active systems were designed to reduce energy consumption. The lake itself is used as a heat sink for the centralized air-conditioning plant and a source for flushing water. The building’s east-west orientation minimalises solar heat gain when sun angles are low, while the bowed form of the main elevation reduces solar penetration to the lower floors when the sun is high. The bowed ‘aerofoil’ form also improves airflow around and through the building allowing the central atrium around the circulation areas to be naturally ventilated.
