The Metamorphic Reel of Ba Son

Sammanfattning

metamorphic /ˌmet.əˈmɔː.fɪk/ n. (of rock) changed into a new form and structure by very great heat and pressure. - Cambridge University Press. n.d. Metamorphic. In Cambridge Dictionary. The Ba Son complex was originally a shipyard built for constructing warships during the Nguyen Dynasty in the 1800s. Over time, it has undergone countless changes while witnessing significant historical events. Once the largest industrial complex in Southeast Asia, it stood as a key historical landmark. Today, most of its facilities have been demolished by private developers, leaving only two buildings and a dry dock from the original site. These remnants, now neglected and decaying, sit at the entrance to the newly inaugurated Bason Metro Station, symbolizing both loss and latent potential. The Metamorphic Reel of Ba Son proposes a transformative adaptive reuse of these remaining structures, reimagining the site as an immersive, community-focused museum and public space. The core challenge lies in working with three stand-alone but adjacent structures, each built in different eras. The differences and modifications made to these buildings throughout their history are embraced and unified through transitional spaces that vary in rhythm, scale, and materials. As such, the project adopts the “three-act structure” from screenwriting as its conceptual and organizational framework, highlighting the site’s chronological transformation under various social and political contexts. The report begins with an intuitive reconstruction of the remaining structures using both analog and digital methods, as no original blueprints were available. It continues with an assessment of the buildings’ condition, value, and historical significance in order to establish a design hierarchy, determining what should be preserved or modified, before deploying the three-act-based design interventions. Finally, the report concludes with a proposal that aims to celebrate the architectural differences of the existing structures, while ensuring they sit harmoniously within the modern context and contemporary discourse.