Tower is award-winning architecture firm's first project in Vietnam
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-Asia/ --
Ground was broken Thursday for the Vietcombank Tower (http://tinyurl.com/2bp75ro), the Ho Chi Minh City headquarters of Vietcombank (http://www.vietcombank.com.vn/en) and Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects' (http://www.pcparch.com) first building in Vietnam.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101027/NE89436 )
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101027/NE89436 )
Vietcombank Tower (http://tinyurl.com/2bp75ro) will be the tallest building on Me Linh Square, a prime location on the west bank of the Saigon River. With a design evoking classic skyscrapers, the 35-story office tower will include the bank's flagship retail location, bank offices, and additional Class A office space designed to attract international tenants.
"Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects is proud to have designed Vietcombank's headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City," said Fred Clarke, FAIA (http://tinyurl.com/njqpwz), Senior Principal of the firm. "We have created a strong, confident design for a building that represents stability, vision and progress."
The building's design is distinguished by a crown-like tower top, a prominent spire and materials chosen to convey the stability and permanence appropriate to an esteemed financial institution. The exterior wall will incorporate light-colored granite within vertical metal ribs that accentuate the height of the building. Integrated custom lighting fixtures will illuminate the entire tower at night. At the base of the tower, a loggia of six granite piers and a canopy mark the main entrance. Inside, separate lobbies for the retail bank and offices will include natural material finishes, such as marble walls and slatted wood ceilings to create an elegant, dignified environment. Adjacent to the building, a park with walking paths, a fountain, and seating will be open to the public.
A project of Vietcombank-Bonday-Benthanh Joint Venture Company Limited, the building has an estimated construction cost of $67 million and is scheduled for completion in 2013.
About Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Founded in 1977 and led by Cesar Pelli (http://tinyurl.com/njqpwz), Fred Clarke (http://tinyurl.com/njqpwz), and Rafael Pelli (http://tinyurl.com/njqpwz), Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has designed some of the world's most recognizable buildings, including the World Financial Center (http://tinyurl.com/2g46cre) in New York, the Petronas Towers (http://tinyurl.com/32895yl) in Kuala Lumpur, and the International Finance Centre (http://tinyurl.com/2ua2vzk) in Hong Kong. The firm has been honored with critical acclaim and hundreds of design awards, including the American Institute of Architects' Firm Award and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
