perforated metal veil by KHOA VU transforms old vietnamese villa into breathable restaurant

KHOA VU renovates three-story villa in vietnam

In the fast-changing fabric of Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2, where narrow streets weave between cafés, residences, and storefronts, Studio KHOA VU completes Ts VEIL restaurant, a project housed in a renovated, three-story, 300-square-meter villa. Rather than starting from scratch, the architects chose to preserve the core concrete frame, staircase, and roof of the existing structure, layering new spatial and climatic possibilities over its bones. Anchored by a distinctive perforated metal facade that breathes, shades, and even cools, the project reimagines what a small-scale urban intervention can be in a tropical megacity under pressure.

all images by Chuong Nguyen

porous second skin envelops Ts Veil restaurant

The name Ts VEIL reflects the central design gesture of the New York-based practice Studio KHOA VU, including a porous second skin that shrouds the building like fabric. Made of expanded metal mesh supported by a custom steel and precast concrete substructure, the veil offers both functional and poetic expression. At the building’s corner, where the site tightens, the mesh peels open to form a shaded entry threshold that invites passersby inward.

Designed for Rehab Station – Social Dining, the project combines hospitality with a deep interest in climatic responsiveness. The outer screen doubles as an environmental device, as its perforations encourage cross-ventilation, while a built-in misting system injects moisture into the hot Saigon air, producing localized microclimates during the city’s most stifling months.

Studio KHOA VU completes Ts VEIL, a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

semi-translucent walls and revealing textures filter sunlight

Inside, Studio KHOA VU collaborates with local studio Siri Interior to craft a tactile atmosphere. The architects introduce a second, inner ‘skin’, this time through a palette of glass block, exposed concrete, steel detailing, and wood finishes. The resulting spaces are raw, filtering daylight through semi-translucent walls and revealing textures that shift from cool and industrial to warmly ambient as the day unfolds.

Ts VEIL proposes a measured response to the challenges of adapting an older building for continued use. Studio KHOA VU focuses on meaningful changes that improve the building’s performance in Vietnam’s urban climate without erasing what was already there.

the project is housed in a renovated, three-story, 300-square-meter villa