Locus
a parametric urban acupuncture

Hanoi, Vietnam

Locus

Locus is a catalogue of forms that is intended to assemble into the existing condition of Hoan Kiem. With the congested urban fabric, this project aims to create spaces of "non-activity", where local individuals gather to improve their quality of life.

The program choices are heavily drriven by local preferences and daily activities, rather than trying to engage with tourists and visitors. The project aims to fulfill qualities that are lacking in the heart of the city, primarily points of rest (i.e. unprogrammed spaces).

The project engages with three essential questions:

1. How do you begin to engage with the local community, when the city dedicates itself to host tourists and foreigners?
2. What kind of spaces are necessary to provide spaces for the local community, from children to the elderly, that will benefit their quality of life?
3. How do you program non-activity?

From the generated tourist paths, an enveloped pocket of local space was discovered, far from the main points of attraction. The site was chosen as a remote location, away from the typical tourist points and tourist routes in Hoan Kiem.

A catalogue of parts were also developed to enable a flexible implementation of the project into a atypical site boundary. From these spatial kit of parts, a locally designed kit of parts were also developed, creating an intensive design of local activties including: a banh mi cart, an exercise zone, a library, seating, and a staircase.