HỚP Cafe by HÔM ARCHITECTS

Located at a vibrant corner of Tay Ninh City, HỚP Cafe is a transformative renovation of an old townhouse that had long lost its potential for meaningful use. The original structure was fragmented, dimly lit, and lacked vitality, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity. HÔM ARCHITECTS approached the project with a philosophy of listening to the building itself and responding thoughtfully to the urban context.

The city surrounding the cafe is modern, fast-paced, and often impersonal—a place where people frequently encounter only each other’s surfaces. This idea of superficiality inspired the conceptual framework of the design: the exterior acts as a neutral, distant layer, while the interior unfolds as a warm, intimate environment that encourages engagement and discovery.

Balancing Urban Solidity and Human Warmth

The exterior of the cafe retains the raw character of the original structure, including concrete walls and columns, now complemented by metal cladding. This combination—hard, cold, and precise—serves as a metaphor for the contemporary urban landscape: distant, solemn, and closed off. Yet this is only the first impression, the “surface” one encounters in passing.

Stepping inside reveals a striking contrast. The interior has been completely restructured with dark wood, soft fabrics, warm brown tones, and touches of calming green, creating a space that invites deeper attention. Unlike the hurried exterior, the cafe interior encourages people to pause, linger, and connect—not only with the space but also with each other. Architecture here is intentionally emotional, shaping experiences as much as it shapes physical space.

Spatial Composition and Material Dialogue

The design establishes a clear duality between exterior and interior. Concrete and metal define the outer shell, providing a sense of structure and stability. Inside, natural materials and soft textures create warmth, tactility, and life. This material dialogue—between steadfastness and softness—becomes central to the cafe’s identity, establishing a layered spatial narrative that reflects the duality of city life: exterior resilience versus interior comfort.

Furniture and built elements were carefully selected to reinforce this atmosphere. Dark wooden tables and chairs, upholstered seating, and integrated greenery form zones of intimacy, allowing visitors to interact in quiet moments of pause. The interplay of warm tones, natural textures, and green accents fosters a sense of calm and familiarity, contrasting with the brisk, impersonal city outside.

Architecture as Emotional Catalyst

The project embodies the belief that architecture can touch emotions as well as shape space. HÔM ARCHITECTS sought to create a cafe that is more than a stop along the city streets; it is a pause, a slow rhythm within the faster pace of urban life. The spatial arrangement and materiality encourage people to slow down, observe their surroundings, and experience moments of quiet reflection.

Lighting, textures, and carefully considered circulation work in concert to produce a layered experience. Soft, indirect illumination accentuates the natural materials and brings out the warmth of wood and fabric, while strategic placement of plants softens edges and enhances the sense of intimacy. Each visit becomes a subtle journey from the city’s external harshness to an inner oasis of warmth and life.

Connection with the City

Although the cafe is introspective, it does not isolate itself from its urban context. Instead, it chooses to pause within the city, creating a space that is inviting rather than imposing. The neutral exterior engages the streetscape, while the interior encourages exploration, curiosity, and presence. Visitors are invited to step inside, shift their rhythm, and linger long enough to truly see and experience the environment—and each other.

HỚP Cafe exemplifies a design philosophy where architecture is both responsive and poetic, translating the characteristics of a hurried, impersonal city into a space that fosters pause, reflection, and warmth. By balancing exterior restraint with interior intimacy, HÔM ARCHITECTS have created a place of subtle discovery, where the city remains outside but a sense of human connection flourishes within.

Photography: Anh Chuong