VTN architects blend greenery into nanoco head office in vietnam

vo trong nghia architects‘ ‘nanoco head office’ project in vietnam proposes a ten story building using alternately-stacked boxes with interweaved terraces in between. the studio who have previously strived to inject nature within their designs – including the ‘binh house‘ construction and ‘bamboo house‘ – have implemented green spaces throughout the design in order to create an environmentally conscious and harmonious working environment. 

UPDATE: this project was shortlisted in the ‘office – future project’ category at the 2018 world architecture festival.

the project which has been developed for an electrical corporation in ho chi minh city uses a glass facade to function as a filter in order to optimize climatic and visual conditions. it diffuses intense direct sunlight in the daytime, creating an ideal luminous environment for the interior. on the contrary, at night, it turns into a beacon lighting box illuminating the neighborhood. the glass blocks reduce thermal transmission due to its low solar heat gain, contributing to low energy consumption compared to typical glazed facades. taking into account the high density surrounding in the near future, the glass blocks are meant to blur and calm the view to the outside, while the trees provide a green ambiance throughout the building.

greenery, one of the most significant features, is also a response to the wider urban context. in the center of ho chi minh city, green coverage ratio is only 0.25%, which is remarkably low in comparison to other asian megacities. this lack of greenery causes various social problems such as air pollution, overheat, and flood. therefore, VTN architects aimed to bring green space back to the city by accommodating as much greenery as possible in the building. 

the 10 stories volume accommodates a showroom in the lower 4 stories, and offices in the upper 6 stories. unlike stereotypical showrooms, it was required that the former included a communal area to serve as a platform for creative community and activity. the space is designed to be integrated, without separating by wall or floor, featuring several unique architectural elements. the entrance with a huge opening reveals activities inside, attracting people passing by. right after the entrance is a multi-functional zone where various events and exhibitions could be held. staircases within the vertical void, which penetrates through the floors, connect several kinds of the showroom and communal area and enhance interaction between them.

project info:

office credit: VTN architects (vo trong nghia architects)
principal architects: vo trong nghia, tran thi hang
project architects: nobuhiro inudoh, tran vo kien, kai echigo
status: under construction
program: showroom+office
location: binh thanh district, ho chi minh city, vietnam
site area: 295m2
GFA: 1,990m2
client: fortune electric corporation
contractor: obayashi vietnam corporation