ATLAS HOTEL HOIAN is located in Hoi An’s “Old Town; an area which has rapidly grown since it was officially named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.Recently, most of the ancient houses have been converted into shops and restaurants that serve the daily influxof tourism. The neighborhood is well known for its beautiful tiled-roofscape and itsinternal courtyardsthat provide a layered spatial quality between the inner and outer spaces. This quality has been slowly eroded due tochaotic commercial flow. As a consequence, Old Town has lost its charmof a calm and peaceful lifestyle.
Located in an irregular plot of land, the designapproach of Atlas Hotel is to turn this constrain into its unique character. The linear layout is divided into several internal courtyards, and by lifting the building above the site, it completely freesthe ground floor to create an inter-connected network of courtyards. Thisspatial quality reflects the dynamism of the new Hoi An but also retains the charm of the Old Town.
The five story hotel includes 48 guest rooms as well as various leisure functions such as restaurant, café, rooftop bar, spa, gym and swimming pool. Due to the complexity of the site, each guest roomis shorter and wider than typical hotel rooms. Rather than a problem, this presented an opportunity for the rooms to have greater access to greenery not only from the bedroom but also from the bathroom.
The building façade is clad with locally-sourced sandstone pieces used in combination with an exposed concrete slab and a series of planters along the corridors. The planters are arranged along the entire façade of the hotel not only provides solar shading but also allows cooler air to ventilate the spaces.In addition, the perforated stone walls admitdaylight without blocking air flow.This scheme allows the place to be naturally ventilated to minimise the use of air conditioner.Theuse of these green and natural elements embodies the particular interest of the office andthe House for Trees concept: to integrate greenery into design as a way to rejuvenate urban areas and to contribute to societal improvement. At its core, Atlas Hotel reconnects man with nature.
