Located on a corner of Huynh Van Gam Street, Hoa Xuan Ward, Cam Le District, Da Nang, Reo is a special coffee shop as it uses a slogan of "Let's have coffee together under the canopy of trees, and it uses recycled corrugated metal roofing sheets for decorations. The owner of the coffee shop is Mr. Kieu Nhan who is a 32-year-old architect specializing in interior and exterior designs.

Mr. Nhan is using design tools to bring his customers closer to nature.

Stemming from Mr. Nhan's idea and desire to open a coffee shop at a moderate cost and incorporate nature into his designs in a bid to bring his customers closer to nature, Reo Coffee made it debut in Da Nang in August 2022. He draw up his developed designs for his shop, and then waded through scrap yards and depots to find recycled materials to decorate his shop. Included were old and rusty corrugated metal sheets which were used as roofing and seating materials. Every day, Mr. Nhan travels between the two cities of Hoi An and Da Nang to manage his coffee shop.

"Many people wondered why I bought so much old corrugated metal roofing sheets, and I only bought rusty corrugated metal sheets. I told them that I wanted to recycle them to decorate my coffee shop," Mr. Nhan recounted.

Nhan’s idea seemed paradoxical to many people, but under his skillful hands, he created a beautiful 200 square-meter coffee shop with the use of rusty corrugated metal sheets as roofing, flooring and wall materials, as well as green plants, natural foliage and gravel being used for decorations.

In particular, the coffee shop is designed to obtain natural sunlight through its transparent roof and skylights which helps support tree growth, as well as keep the shop bright and airy. Besides, red and brown colors that are synchronized with rusty corrugated metal sheets are used for decorations in the coffee shop. Yellow lights are used to bring warmth and comfort to the coffee shop’s space. The shop is designed in a sustainable manner in order to be able to withstand extreme weather and last longer.

“For me, rusty corrugated metal sheets are beautiful materials with valuable applications. I  am an interior designer, and come from a farmer background. Therefore, I make great use of natural and rustic elements, and presents them in my coffee shop space in order create a calming effect for my customers," Mr. Nhan remarked.

Mornings and weekends are typically the busiest time for Reo Coffee while noon and afternoon are the quietest time for it. Nhan likes peace and quiet so he has created eco-friendly and peaceful place for himself and his guests to allow them relax while sipping coffee, as well as consciously realize environmental benefits of recycling. Visitors to the shop can work, chat with their friends, admire the greenery, and listen to relaxing music while drinking coffee.

Visiting the coffee shop to make a video clip to share it on social media platforms to introduce it to internet users, 24 year-old Ho Ngoc Tram said: "Coffee shop market in Da Nang has reached saturation point due to the soaring number of coffee shops. Furthermore, few coffee shops run with their own designs and styles.  I really like amazing coffee shops like Reo as it stands out in the saturated market in Da Nang due to its peaceful and gentle environment. Recycled corrugated roof sheet is used in Reo that makes this venue even more impressive to customers."

Mr. Nhan only hopes that Reo will be a gentle place on the outskirts of Da Nang, and it will be more inviting to local residents and tourists. He believes that the opening of a coffee shop does not follow trends but focuses on using natural elements in its decorations to make a positive impact on the environment and people’s lives.

“I am planning to open a new coffee shop as similar as Reo near the city center of Da Nang, but I find it very difficult to choose a suitable location for my new shop. In the immediate future, I will exert every effort to create more green spaces for Reo in order to make customers feel more comfortable," Nhan said.

Talking about Reo, he didn't mention much about recycling or environmental protection, or anything else. Reo is not just a coffee shop but it is a place for the 32-year-old man to show his enthusiasm and creativity.

Coming from Hoi An City which is a land of culture and creativity, Mr. Nhan mentioned his compatriots who have achieved success in recycling and creating healthy and eco-friendly spaces. Included are artist Nguyen Quoc Dan who uses recycled materials in their art, and Le Ngoc Thuan who creates sculpture with the use of cribs. For them, thrown away things are both useful in the recycling and regeneration process as they can be recycled that enables reuse and new life with boundless creativity of users.

Reporting by LAM VIEN – Translating by H.L