British architects Atkins has started work on a 460-metre-high skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City, which is set to become the tallest building in Vietnam on completion. Located on the banks of the Saigon River, the 81-storey mixed-use tower by local developers Vingroup will claim the title from the 345-metre Landmark 72 in Hanoi.
The Vincom Landmark 81 will rise from a square footprint as 25 thin sections of various heights, with shorter elements topped with roof gardens around the edges and taller parts of the glass-clad structure located in the centre. Atkins – responsible for both the architecture and landscape design of the 241,000-square-metre development – has designed the tower to include a hotel, serviced residential apartments and retail space. A luxury shopping centre will face onto a large landscaped area at its base. “Our challenge was to create a unique and dynamic landmark tower design to support Vingroup’s vision for a high-end mixed-use development,” said Bertil de Kleynen, director of architecture and landscape for Atkins in the Asia Pacific region. “The tower is integrated into the public realm that addresses sustainable design challenges at various interfaces of the project.”