VietNamNet Bridge – Architect Dinh Thanh Truyen has used old and simple items to breathe new life into his own coffee shop nestled in a small alley of Thanh Thai Street in HCMC’s District 10.

A view of Tuong coffee shop – Photo: Dieu Thuan

Interior decorations of Tuong coffee shop are dry corns and luffa, an old bicycle, old newspapers, dry leaves, candles, old guitars, and pieces of wood. All of them are placed disorderly from the first floor to the mezzanine to make an impression on customers.

Tuong coffee shop is also decorated by lines of small bamboo trees, a wooden fence and flowers grown in old shoes. Its old main door squeaks whenever people it to go in and out, creating a nostalgic feeling of an old house in the countryside.

Speaking about the coffee shop, Truyen says he believes simple and plain things usually make people think of and treat one another sincerely and honestly. This is what Tuong expects from his customers.

The simple decorations aim to call for people to make full use of old products and protect the environment as well as encourage them to discover something new and useful in useless and old items.

The coffee shop has a corner for customers to freely draw or write down a birthday wish, a sketch, a logo or slogan, words describing attitude to life or expressing inspiration.

Truyen said that he once wanted to remove the special wall full of drawings and words when upgrading the coffee shop. However, he decided not to do this as he thought that one day when those customers come back to the coffee shop, they might wish to find what they have drawn or written down there.

“The drawings and words of customers are still there and this is wonderful,” he said.

On Fridays, Tuong holds talk shows on different topics about architecture for students in the field, architects and architecture companies, and live music performances.

Customers can come to the coffee shop for free drum, guitar or photography classes on Sundays, enjoy free drinks on the first day and fifteen day of the lunar month and donate gifts to the coffee shop and its staff will give them to people in need.  

SGT