Bare Gallery, part of Bare Boutique Stays, offers guests a boutique hotel in a typical Saigonese 3.4 x 13m ‘tube house’. When re-imagining the front entrance the decision was made to keep everything the same, apart from a fresh lick of paint and a few extra plants.

The boutique hotel has a small cafe on the ground floor, with four comfortable studio apartments above. The width of each studio apartment is only 3.2m, resulting in quirky interior design choices that give the apartments their unique identity.

Unique furniture choices and fittings divide the long space into functional areas. A wardrobe and washbasin separate the toilet from the kitchen. A stylish lounger connects the dining, seating and sleeping areas.

The continuous open spaces use modern materials of cement, metal, and woodwork to exaggerate the brightness of the garden-view balcony at the end of the room. The floor length glass balcony doors also help to make full use of natural light.

Bold colours of the bed backdrop and lounger, the artwork, neutral canvas tones, the cement finishings, dark wood and copper-plated accents create a harmonious contrast throughout the unit. Every detail has been considered to create a truly inviting, bright, and airy space for guests to enjoy, despite the area being limited to 35m².

The project has become a well-known place of residence that is enjoyed by domestic and foreign young adults whenever they visit Saigon.