[Photos] Saigon Architects Turn Old French Villa Into Judo Dojo

A team of local architects has transformed a French building into a practice hall for martial arts.

Saigon residents will now be able to practice judo in a dojo that was once a French-style villa. District 2-based T3 Architects were tasked with this project. The villa itself will be used for dojo offices, a changing room and a co-working space, so the area for practicing the traditional Japanese martial art was placed directly on top of an adjacent garden.

All other trees remained and will serve as three garden spaces for parents to wait for classes to finish, as well as an outdoor training area. T3 made efforts to construct the dojo as sustainably as possible, and thus used a rice-husk roof for the fully insulated, air-conditioned structure. A new entrance to the plot was created so as to avoid needing to access the dojo via a busy road. 

Considering the rapidity of change in Saigon and the impermanence in people's hobbies, the dojo's main structure, flooring, walls, and tatami mat were all designed to be moved to a new location if needed. 

Take a peek at this serene haven of "hi-ya!" below:

[Images via ArchDaily]