Celadon Sports & Resort Club (CSRC) is a central component of the Celadon City Master Plan in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.Inspired by tropical resort architecture, the design of the CSRC revolves around the concept of sports in a resort, where it aims to provide an aesthetic and comfortable environment for users to carry out sports activities casually.
Traditionally, most district-based sports centres in Vietnam are built like one mega building nested within a densely built environment. Consequently, these buildings often do not reach their full potential nor fully connected with the general public in terms of social engagements and spatial arrangement.In line with this vision, the Celadon Sports & Resort Club put together an integrated theme of landscaping, pedestrian-friendly links and open spaces dedicated to healthy living within a natural setting contiguously connected to the existing green lung of the overall Master Plan.Differing from the design of a conventional sports club that includes all activities in one mega box, which is dull, CSRC consists of multiple interconnected mini boxes which hold different activities, creating a resort feel and relaxing ambience for the users.
Inspired by a series of sporting postures, Artificial Timber Decorative Sporting Louver has been used for the building’s façade treatment. They are arranged to resemble ‘moving’ sporting features, being easily identifiable in this building.The simplicity and purity of the louvre and façade expression give it a timeless quality that culminates into a harmonious symphony.The Artificial Timber Decorative Sporting Louver permeable quality allows a generous amount of light to enter the building, casting playful shadows on walls and floor and providing a spectacular view to the surrounding garden, embracing a sustainable and green township, likened to a Sports Centre in a Resort!
As an integrated design sports & resort club, CSRC comprises three building blocks: Resort Club, Commercial Arena and Community Sport Centre that are laid in a U-shape, wrapping around a Central Court and connected via walkways, ramps, and staircases to encourage exploration within its decentralized spaces.The Resort Club (RC) block offers a Club House for relaxation, club, and fitness activities, the Commercial Arena (CA) block accommodates wedding parties, public events and commercial activities while the Community Sports Centre (CSC) facilitates sports activities for residents.
The three blocks of CSRC were completed through phasing due to the limited budget and a weak economy in Vietnam.After plenty of research and conceptualising, the idea of construction phasing allowed the clients to proceed with the construction of the three blocks in three phases.The separation of the construction process into three phases allows CSRC to be a self-sustaining sports & resort club as it allows some parts of the building to operate while others are still under construction.For example, during the construction of the Commercial Arena block in Phase 2, the Resort Club block had already finished construction in Phase 1 and started operating.
In Vietnam, the community strolls in great numbers on evenings and weekends, especially in the parks and along the banks of lakes and rivers in Ho Chi Minh City.Urban Vietnamese love to hang out outdoors and carry out activities together with communities despite staying indoors. They found it relaxing to carry out activities under trees, in shaded areas, or open-air spaces.Thus, the CRSC focused on the concept of Sports in ‘Resort’ to provide the ambience of outdoor spaces for the Vietnamese community to relax while exercising.
