The Lotus Clubhouse in Vietnam's Long An province represents a new approach to sustainable resort architecture that prioritizes environmental harmony over visual spectacle. Designed by the Ho Chi Minh City-based MIA Design Studio and completed in 2025, this 2,000-square-meter facility demonstrates how contemporary structures can integrate seamlessly with natural landscapes. The project, photographed by renowned architectural photographer Hiroyuki Oki, embodies a philosophy where buildings function as living organisms rather than static objects. Lead architect Nguyen Hoang Manh and his team conceived the clubhouse as an extension of the terrain itself, allowing it to emerge organically from the surrounding slopes and vegetation.
The design strategy deliberately breaks down the traditional monolithic clubhouse structure into multiple smaller volumes scattered beneath the forest canopy. This approach creates a journey-like experience for visitors, with curved pathways and reflective water surfaces connecting different functional areas at varying elevations. Active spaces such as the restaurant and children's play area open toward a nearby lake, while quieter zones including the spa, lounge, and meditation areas nestle deeper within the shaded greenery. This thoughtful distribution allows the building to visually recede into the landscape, minimizing its architectural footprint while maximizing sensory engagement with light, wind, and water.
Sustainability serves as the project's cornerstone, most visibly expressed through its innovative multi-layered green roof system. Three main roof clusters feature circular forms at different heights, creating an undulating topography that mirrors the natural forest canopy above. These roofs support native plant species that form self-sustaining micro-ecosystems, reducing heat gain and providing natural cooling. The vegetation also creates wildlife habitat and filters rainwater before it returns to the lake. Discreetly integrated solar panels within selected roof areas generate renewable energy for daily operations, demonstrating how environmental technology can blend seamlessly with ecological design.
The roof structure functions as more than just a green surface—it actively manages water and light. Each module works like a funnel, collecting rainwater and channeling it back into the landscape while regulating daylight exposure and reducing direct solar heat. Roof heights gradually increase toward the center where larger modules accommodate main functions, while smaller, lower roofs extend outward to create transitional spaces. This integrated approach exemplifies tropical adaptive architecture, where form, ecology, energy efficiency, and function align in a cohesive system that responds to the local climate.
From the lake's perspective, the clubhouse appears to float lightly above the landscape at a carefully calibrated height of 7.2 meters. This elevation maintains visual harmony with nearby villas while preserving uninterrupted sightlines across the property. The design consciously rejects architectural spectacle in favor of restraint and contextual sensitivity. Rather than declaring its presence through bold forms or extravagant materials, the Lotus Clubhouse establishes its identity through thoughtful integration and environmental responsiveness, offering a model for how resort architecture can respect rather than dominate its setting.
This project represents a broader shift in Vietnamese architectural practice toward environmentally conscious design that honors local context. MIA Design Studio's approach suggests that true luxury in contemporary hospitality lies not in opulence but in the quality of connection between built space and natural environment. As climate change concerns intensify throughout Southeast Asia, the Lotus Clubhouse provides a compelling template for low-impact development that doesn't compromise on aesthetic or experiential quality. The project demonstrates that architecture can serve as both shelter for people and extended habitat for nature, creating spaces where both can thrive in mutual balance.
