A two-level salon shaped by interior architecture that deploys a single continuous wall to organize circulation, program, and light.

Project Overview

SONO is a hair salon in Ho Chi Minh City by Inrestudio that treats interior architecture as the primary medium: a continuous wall runs through two levels to structure the plan, sequence views, and register light. The project occupies an existing maisonette, retaining the white shell while inserting a new spatial element that guides use and perception.

Taking its name from the Japanese word for garden, the scheme avoids decoration in favor of one operative form. The wall reads as a constructed terrain—straight and planar on the lower level, then curving into arcs above—while alternating green tile with raw grey surfaces. This dual finish differentiates zones and creates a calibrated visual rhythm as one moves through the space. Comparable attention to material-driven retail interiors appears in Sensory Forests in Urban Tokyo.

Interior view showcasing green tile walls and modern lighting in SONO hair salon.

Site and Urban Context

Set within a quiet pocket of Ho Chi Minh City, the project works within the constraints of an existing maisonette. The original white interior envelope is deliberately preserved, providing a neutral backdrop against which the new insert reads clearly.

Interior Architecture Concept

The design is organized around a single linear element that behaves like a guided path and low partition. Its height subtly varies from front to back, tuning openness and privacy as programs change. On the upper floor, the wall transitions into tighter radii and intersecting arcs, mirroring the increased complexity of activities and adjacencies. Geometric control of movement and outlook recalls formal strategies seen in Geometric Harmony.

Salon with a modern blend of green tiles and sleek finishes.

Spatial Organization

Ground floor circulation follows a clear sequence along the wall: waiting, service counter, styling positions, then the shampoo zone at the rear. The legible alignment supports straightforward operation and sightlines while maintaining thresholds between public and semi-private tasks.

Arriving centrally on the upper level, the plan expands laterally. Four styling stations extend to one side, the shampoo area occupies the opposite side, and service rooms trace the perimeter. Here the wall’s curvature increases, generating nested bays and oblique views that balance interaction with focused work areas.

Elegant hair salon space with smooth textures and lighting.

Materials and Facade

Material strategy is binary and controlled: green tile articulates the wall’s geometry, while raw grey finishes complete the counter-surfaces and background planes. The existing white shell remains intact, emphasizing the inserted element as a legible object and reinforcing wayfinding without added signage or ornament.

Light, Climate, and Atmosphere

Natural light filters through the maisonette and washes across the tiled and grey surfaces, sharpening edges where the wall folds and softening transitions where it curves. Variations in wall height modulate exposure and privacy, allowing views to open and close gradually as users move between stations and rooms.

Stylish reception area with a focus on texture variations in materials.

Design Highlights

• A Single Continuous Wall Organizes Two Levels, Acting As Path, Partition, and Spatial Register.

• Ground Floor Sequence Runs From Waiting To Counter, Styling, and Rear Shampoo Area for Efficient Operation.

• Upper Level Centers On Arrival, With Four Styling Stations To One Side, Shampoo Opposite, and Service Rooms At The Perimeter.

• Wall Geometry Shifts From Straight Segments Below To Tighter Arcs Above, Aligning With Program Complexity.

• Material Palette Alternates Green Tile and Raw Grey Finishes To Differentiate Functions and Guide Movement.

• Variable Wall Height Modulates Privacy and Openings, Producing Graduated Thresholds and Controlled Sightlines.

• Existing White Shell Is Retained, Clarifying The Inserted Element As The Primary Spatial Instrument.

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

What defines the design intent of the salon?

A single continuous wall acts as the project’s core instrument. It sets circulation, scales program boundaries through changing height, and expresses two surface readings—green tile and raw grey—to register movement and use.

How are the two floors organized?

The ground floor follows a linear sequence from waiting to counter, styling, and rear shampoo area. The upper floor is accessed near the center; four styling stations extend to one side, the shampoo area to the other, with service rooms around the perimeter. Increased curvature on this level reflects greater programmatic complexity.

How does natural light shape the interior experience?

Daylight interacts with the wall’s planar and curved segments, revealing changes in depth and direction. As the wall rises and drops, it mediates openness and privacy while producing shifting sightlines throughout the day.