The Gamelle is a small laboratory for product inspection situated within a factory in central Vietnam. Positioned along the coastline, the building is designed to offer views of the surrounding nature while safeguarding against excessive exposure to sea breezes. An outer wall encloses both functional rooms and exterior spaces, creating a porous structure that mediates between the internal and external environments. The project embodies an intriguing duality: it stands out like a solid pavilion yet allows views to penetrate through its transparent elements, connecting with the scenery beyond.
Bean-shaped Envelope
A bean-shaped wall envelops the building, shielding it from sea winds and sand. Its curved form clearly delineates the boundary between the interior and exterior, with a single concave surface facing the coast and the interior space oriented towards the sea. The exterior of the envelope is clad with locally sourced bricks, halved to create a distinctive pattern and provide a durable shield against salty winds. Its rugged texture allows climbers to scale the building.
Parallel Rooms, Alternating Courtyards
Within the envelope, the floor plan is divided by six lines perpendicular to the coastline, resulting in parallel rooms extending along the sea-factory axis. An office is situated near the entrance, followed by a series of inspection rooms. Each main room is accompanied by a courtyard on one side, serving as a double skin that softens the transition between indoors and outdoors. These courtyards are alternately arranged on the sea-facing and factory-facing sides, promoting cross ventilation throughout the building.
Fragmented Transparency
Openings of various sizes and shapes punctuate the envelope. Depending on the viewer's perspective, these openings either aggregate or segregate, allowing glimpses of the scenery on the opposite side or blocking them entirely. Glazed openings offer views into the building's activities, while unglazed ones reveal the courtyards, adding a layer of visual complexity to the structure. A row of palm trees traverses the courtyards, further enhancing the building's fragmented transparency.
