The Risks of Unexpected Office Relocation in Vietnam The Ho Chi Minh City representative office of Japan Pulp & Paper faced a sudden relocation challenge. Their previous location at The LANDMARK, a prominent building in District 1, issued an abrupt notice for all tenants to vacate by the end of 2025 due to licensing renewal issues. In Vietnam’s real estate market, landlords often hold significant leverage, and once such a notice is issued, tenants have no choice but to comply promptly. From Initial Meeting to Handover: A Tight 2.5-Month Timeline When we first met to discuss the interior design, the new location had already been selected, but the deadline for operations was only two and a half months away. Completing the entire process—finalizing layout designs, budget adjustments, construction, moving, and restoring the old premises—within this window is an incredibly tight schedule. It is rare for Japanese expats to experience a forced relocation during their short assignment period, and managing such a project alongside daily operations is a heavy burden, especially for those newly arrived. Faced with this high-pressure situation, Japan Pulp & Paper reached out to Craftec following a recommendation from another Japanese firm. The Dilemma of Office Planning and Fire Safety Regulations in HCMC Just as the budget was approved by the Japan headquarters and construction permits for the Saigon Trade Center were secured, a sudden challenge arose. A few days into construction, the building management issued a new directive: the glass entrance doors and adjacent windows had to be replaced with specialized fire-resistant glass. Through intensive design revisions and negotiations with fire safety authorities, we managed to minimize the scope of changes, preventing a significant cost surge. In Vietnam, it is not uncommon for building authorities to issue new construction guidelines that deviate from previously approved plans—this project was a prime example of such regulatory volatility. A Case Study in Navigating Modern Relocation Risks in Ho Chi Minh City The Japan Pulp & Paper relocation project was a microcosm of the risks inherent in the Ho Chi Minh City office market. Despite the legal complexities, shifting fire safety standards, and the aggressive timeline, the project was completed without a hitch. This success was made possible by seamless collaboration and the rapid adaptability required to thrive in Vietnam's fast-paced business environment.

Startup Growth: Reaching Our Office Limits Within a Year Our startup journey began in a 60m2 furnished office at the HP Building in Da Kao, Ho Chi Minh City. Initially, we planned to stay there for two to three years. However, having grown from a team of 4 to 13 in just one year, we quickly outgrew the space much sooner than anticipated.   Driving Forces for Our Office Expansion The primary reason for our relocation was the shortage of workstations for our site supervisors. Given the harsh, dusty, and non-air-conditioned environments they endure on construction sites, the office should be a place of respite. When we saw them working at pantry and meeting tables due to lack of space, we decided to relocate immediately, regardless of our remaining lease term. Living the Standards of Office Design Excellence Just as a good chef learns by tasting excellent ingredients, and a good sommelier builds expertise by experiencing fine wines, we believe that as professionals in office design, we ourselves should work in an environment surrounded by high-quality office functions and specifications. The work chair- being the only piece of furniture in constant, long-term contact with the body-was selected from Japanese manufacturers. All office staff, including management, use the same chair as the president. The lighting system adopts circadian lighting, which changes color temperature throughout the day, complemented by relaxing aromas from aroma diffusers and comfortable background music played through ceiling speakers. For efficient PC work, we designed simple group desks equipped with pop-up power outlets that allow wireless charging simply by placing a mobile device on them. In addition, height-adjustable desks were custom-designed and built for those who wish to work while standing. To verify convenience and functionality ourselves, we also introduced digital whiteboards in the meeting rooms. For air quality, we selected a German-made air purifier equipped with HEPA filters of the same performance level used in Airbus aircraft. By actively using and experiencing various office functions in our daily work, we deepen our understanding of the working environment and ensure that we can provide our clients with high-quality, reliable services.   The office is the most immediate testing ground for improving work productivity. Office productivity can only be enhanced when the “hard” elements—the physical office space—and the “soft” elements—management—are effectively combined. No matter how stylish or how simple an office may be, it is the “magic” of management that changes the faces and attitudes of the people who work there. At CRAFTEC, we begin each morning by cleaning the office together, allowing everyone to gain firsthand insight into the maintainability of finishing materials. Before the morning meeting, we ease tension with a game of darts. When a staff member arrives late or forgets to wear their uniform on Uniform Day, colleagues approach them with smiles and say, “Here you go—this is a donation,” placing a contribution into a donation box. In this way, negative feelings are shared lightly and transformed into something positive. The collected donations are regularly given to disaster relief efforts and orphanages. We have extended the lunch break by 15 minutes, from 12:00 to 1:15 p.m., to ensure time for a short nap after lunch. At the start of the afternoon work session, we perform simple stretching exercises that can be done while seated. By incorporating these small but thoughtful ideas into our daily routines, we continuously refine our own way of working in this new office—so that we can wholeheartedly support our clients in creating better, more productive office environments.

Located in Deutsches Haus, a Grade A building in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, the new ASICS VIETNAM office is a sophisticated space comprising two dedicated work areas for the ASICS and ONITSUKA TIGER teams. The facility features a professional B2B Showroom, two modern meeting rooms, two private online booths, and a spacious warehouse. In Asia, ITOKI is the trusted partner for most ASICS stores and offices. As the designated interior contractor for ITOKI in Vietnam, CRAFTEC collaborated closely with the ITOKI Thailand and ITOKI Indonesia teams for this relocation project. The project presentation was delivered to ASICS’s Regional Headquarters in Singapore. This project stands out in the Vietnamese market as a prime example of cross-border collaboration, involving seamless project management across four countries.

This was a plan to expand and relocate the office from The LANDMARK to the Japanese building, The Nexus. DHG was introduced to us by a major Japanese consulting firm with whom we have an ongoing business relationship. DHG is the Vietnamese subsidiary of Taisho Pharmaceutical and is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Vietnam. As a large enterprise, the review of quotations, contract documents, and construction drawings required communication with various specialist teams, including architecture, legal, and accounting. Therefore, we always received cooperation from the expatriate staff and aimed to achieve a smooth relocation.   The design requirements for DHG’s new 530 m² office At the initial stage of the planning, we presented a design matrix and shared the overall design direction appropriate for a pharmaceutical company. The goal was to create an office that conveys a bright impression, interiors that evoke a sense of safety and trust, and a suitable level of formality for visitors (never too heavy). In addition, as this new office supports business expansion in urban areas of Vietnam, we introduced a casual, café-like atmosphere with a bright impression in the pantry area so that employees could feel comfortable in the new office environment. Office relocation projects offer a different kind of appeal compared to new market entry offices. This lies in achieving overall satisfaction by balancing usability, layout, and design, while clearly differentiating the new office from the former one.   From the property selection stage, including site visits to candidate properties and advisory comments Although the relocation project began in this way, we conducted site visits and prepared test layouts even before the destination property had been narrowed down to a single option. As we repeatedly reviewed and discussed together whether there were any issues with the potential relocation sites, the required image of the office gradually became clearer. Through multiple test layout studies, we believe we were able to assist in appropriately determining the tenant area, ensuring that the leased space for this relocation was neither too large nor too small.   Increasingly stringent fire inspection requirements and handover schedule risks Ho Chi Minh City has a limited number of Grade A office buildings. As The NEXUS is a newly constructed building completed in November 2023 and owned by Tokyu Land, its fire safety standards are among the most stringent applied to office buildings in Ho Chi Minh City. As tenants are not permitted to move into a new office unless a fire safety inspection certificate is issued, we explained in advance to the client the necessity of allowing approximately three additional weeks, in addition to the standard construction period, for the issuance of the fire safety permit. By expediting the commencement of construction, we were able to hedge the risks to the overall schedule, including the completion of the relocation   A 90 m² large conference room It is extremely rare for an office in Ho Chi Minh City to have a meeting room of this size. For the design of this large conference room alone, we conducted detailed studies equivalent to planning a 100 m² office, and held thorough discussions covering every aspect, including interior design, furniture, fixtures, electrical systems, and network infrastructure.