Bao Loc City’s Đóm Coffee Shop feels a lot like home

For some people, the coffee shop has become an integral venue in life. May it be a second workplace or simply a place to unwind, the coffee shop is a relaxed social space turned into a magical space filled with ambient noise and the comforting aroma of coffee (despite coffee’s default function as an energizer rather than a relaxant). In Bao Loc city, Vietnam, a certain coffee shop gives off an intimate and cozy atmosphere through humble and simple designs that use various materials and shapes. 

Designed by the bloom, it was designed as a ‘moderate’ space and has wide and open interiors dominated by arched openings, curved angles, and slide door systems that makes for a more flexible layout and increases the shop’s accessibility. Upon approaching the shop, incoming customers are greeted with a massive corrugated iron roof carrying double layers to ensure heat insulation and noise reduction. Slim wooden beams support it while giving an inviting semi-open area that invites guests into the shop. 

Inside is a notable, long rectangular counter that extends through the shop’s wall, encouraging more interaction between people and working as a bridge between the outside and inside. To give the place a more intimate look that can peg it as a safe haven, the old corrugated iron ceiling is adorned with a lighting system that mimics a sky of still and scattered fireflies.

Đóm Coffee Shop is a beautiful example of how using simple and varying materials natural to its surroundings can make a commercial space feel almost like home.