Most offices today are located in high-rise buildings in high dense urban centres which are characterised by high coverage, persistent traffic congestion, lost green spaces, and high land costs. More alarmingly, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City rank among the most air-polluted cities in the world, making the typical workplace increasingly stifling.
After nearly two years of living through the global pandemic, our perception of the workplace has fundamentally shifted. The experience of working from home has underscored the need to balance professional and personal life, prompting a critical question: Do we still need to confine ourselves to conventional office spaces?
To adapt to this shift, many businesses are rethinking the model of the workplace. Now, the office design should be beyond productivity by serving comfort, well-being, physical and mental health, and reactions for users.
According to Harvard Business Review, employees working in spaces filled with greenery and natural light are 15% more productive and 30% less stressed than those in traditional settings. Additionally, offices located in peri-urban areas not only benefit from significantly lower leasing costs, but also offer more generous and flexible space to invest in quality of life and work.
Popularly, office buildings consume excessive energy and are designed to optimise the use of space and gain working productivity. Meanwhile, homes and resorts focus on rest and recovery. DOVA Office presents a hybrid model – one that redefines the modern workplace through sustainable design and a human-centric approach.
We propose a new paradigm: the recharging office – a space that meets the core functional criteria of a workplace while enhancing spatial experience, comfort, and interaction with nature. This holistic design approach improves creativity, work performance, and overall well-being.
Situated in Thach That – a green, serene suburb of Hanoi – DOVA Office prioritizes spatial quality over central location. Rather than conforming to the conventional, enclosed, energy-consuming office model, the design offers a counter-narrative: one rooted in natural materials, sensory experience, and architectural openness.
With extensive research*, the project integrates natural and meditative energy sources into the work environment – supporting physical, mental, and cognitive restoration during and beyond working hours.
DOVA Office dissolves the rigid separation between work and relaxation. Employees are not restricted to enclosed their workstations but may work beside large windows overlooking a rooftop garden. Lunch breaks become moments of restoration, not rushed rituals. Private retreat areas, soft lounge chairs under the trees, and still water features invite quiet respite. A 15-minute mindfulness session may serve to reset attention for the afternoon. Every spatial element is designed to support flexibility, ease, and renewal.
Rather than resisting the site’s natural conditions, DOVA Office embraces them. The 10-meter elevation change across the longitudinal axis of the plot becomes an asset. Instead of leveling the terrain, architectural volumes cascade with the slope, creating a gentle transition between built form and natural topography. Flat areas are reserved for outdoor events and exhibitions.
Stone excavated from the site is reused as a design language of a local identity and distinction. It is used in the reception, tearoom, washrooms, and common areas. These raw stone elements become a dialogue between human and nature, giving the space depth and emotional resonance.
A natural stone stream bisects the property, gently separating working and living zones while weaving them together. The integration of terrain, vegetation, water, and local materials results in an architecture that respects, complements, and elevates its landscape.
Guided by the DOVA Group’s philosophy “The Heart of Circle,” the office is conceived as a circular ecosystem – nurturing health from within, like a ripple moving from core awareness to physical presence and outward to the environment.
● The Amphitheater represents the Body – where energy is expressed and activated.
● The Reflecting Pool symbolizes the Mind – where emotions ripple like concentric waves.
● The Zen Garden, located in the heart of the office block, reflects the Spirit – the seat of introspection, ideation, and creativity.
The project adopts pink as its primary tone,not only a brand color, but a meaningful choice. In Eastern culture, pink represents softness, connection, and renewal. Here, it reflects the quiet strength of nurturance – a subtle but enduring influence that allows individuals to regain balance between life and work.
At the end of the day, staff leave the DOVA Office not depleted, but restored – carrying with them lightness and vitality. Each area within the complex offers its own rhythm, yet together they form a cohesive ecosystem: one that soothes with nature, recharges through mindfulness, and supports holistic human development across body, mind, and spirit.
* Typical Vietnamese office buildings are enclosed, air-conditioned spaces with limited access to daylight and natural ventilation. This conventional layout often leads to physical discomfort, elevated stress, and reduced productivity.
