Build Architecture Awards 2016

Build 2016 Architecture Awards 118 Company: Vo Trong Nghia Architects Name: Vo Trong Nghia Email: [email protected], [email protected] Web Address: http://votrongnghia.com Address: 8F, 70 Pham Ngoc Thach, Ward 6, District 3, HCMC, Vietnam Telephone: +84-8-3820-6699 o Trong Nghia Architects, lead by Vo Trong Nghia and partners has more than 60 international architects, engineers and staff work closely on cultural, residential and commercial projects worldwide. By experimenting with light, wind and water, and by using natural and local materials, Vo Trong Nghia Architects employ a contemporary design vocab- ulary to explore new ways to create green architecture for the 21st century, whilst maintaining the essence of Asian architectural expression. Vo Trong Nghia Architects are in strong collaboration with Wind and Water House JSC, a construction company specializing in bamboo structure and green buildings construction, to realize designs of high quality in Vietnam. Takashi explains the firm’s approach and how this creates unique spaces for their clients. “Our clients are from around the world, with recent projects being based in Vietnam, China, Thailand, Australia, and Panama. Because our approach utilizes “Power of Plants”, we often work for resort hotels, education facilities, residential spaces and also the wider green industry. Our approach centres around bringing nature into the city with using trees and greenery. A model of our recent project, “House for Trees” becomes a series of projects to utilize greenery into residential space. “Our mission is how to extend this idea to the Southeast Asian city to bring more and more plants which bring many benefits to the citizen. Now our ap- proach is focused from media and we have started talking with government about a future green city.” What sets the firm apart, according to Takashi, is its dedication to creating innovative spaces which focus on plants. “What makes our firm unique is, quite simply, that we love plants and nat- ural materials. For us, greenery is not only for status items for building as a fashion. We design space how the plants cooperate to the space make more pleasant atmosphere. “One of our recent projects which highlights our love of flora and fauna is FPT University Hanoi, which has been reimagined with trees on the façade to make natural shade for education space. At the end of June 2016, FPT University Ho Chi Minh City started the construction. The design approach with trees is expanded more strongly and the educational space becomes forest in the city. “Because the Vietnamese city has been losing greenery day by day, our aim was to bring back greenery again for city citizens by supplying comfortable atmosphere and less energy consumption. We achieved this and are very proud of the result.” Looking ahead, Takashi emphasised the need to follow industry trends and work with clients to achieve outcomes which will bring nature into their lives. “Visualization will be important factor for architecture industry going forward. The dynamic energy consumption record is important but also, how we visualize the source of comfortable atmosphere effect for user’s mind is important. Water and trees visualize wind and with bringing comfortable radiation and shades for people. “The visual sense to use natural resources together with technical visualiza- tion will be important for architects. As such we are keen to continue using plants to create visual spaces that appeal to our clients.” Architectural Practice of the Year 2016 - Vietnam Founded in 2006, Vo Trong Nghia Architects is a leading architectural practice in Vietnam with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. We spoke to Takashi Niwa to find out more. V AR160027