Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Empire City, an upcoming Development in Vietnam, designed by Landscape Architects49, is situated in the crown jewel of Thu Thiem New Urban District opposite the Ho Chi Minh City Center on the other side of Saigon River.

The project was short-listed for a 2021 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The center landscape spine of the development stretching from the Saigon Riverfront park to the heart of the development has been designated to the landmark of 88 stories Tower as the jeweled tip of the development.

The architects aimed to create a unique new Urban center in Ho Chi Minh City with a world major city high standard of living and image, the landscape architectural design for the Empire City Public Realm Landscape has been designed to promote 4 major objectives.

1. LIVABLE CITY to create a comfortable living environment for people gathering and collaborative Spaces to promote outdoor activities and events;

2. CONNECTIVITY to Promote flow and connectivity to all areas focus on a Strong pedestrian and green connectivity Network. The Design Accommodate path for different speeds of pedestrian movement as well as various of Green Streets and Nature flow from the main City Center towards the Saigon Riverfront area;

3. SUSTAINABILITY To Create ecological sustainability in the City Urban development focusing on Storm Water Management, Native Vegetation, and Biodiversity in the Urban environment in flora to attract more variety of fauna;

4. ICONIC to create a simple and timeless design yet have its Unique Memorable/Iconic landscape that expressing the Identity of the Vietnamese landscape, the Landscape Design Concept derived from Cultural Terrain Landscape of the Vietnamese Steps Rice field, and the Passage of life source -Water story as it’s passage run down from highland toward lower land and the River, the life – activities, its creates/ brings to, through various spaces and terrains.

The journey starts at the heart of the development at the landmark 88 stories Tower appeared as a prominent high mountain range of mixed uses/commercial high rises compound with more urban vibrant activities, a small stream feature run from the big reflecting pool at the base of the landmark tower meanders through various spaces, platforms of outdoor theatre liked green steps that envelop main gathering space for specials events, pockets space of outdoor café, in this retail mixed uses Center.

Leading across with feature pedestrian bridge over to the more residential zone, more and more natural with more intimated and calmers, the tranquil landscape is prominent towards the riverfront/lower height of Residential buildings.

The water feature appears more geometric shape at the beginning of the flow, the center landscape of main big gathering lawn space edge with long reflecting water body that shall reflect the landmark tower when viewing back towards.

At the end of the landscape spine, the final park becomes a more intimate small park area for the residents to relax, enjoy the space, and do their preferred activities such as jogging, strolling, sitting coffee at their favorite spot around the natural like water stream or then crossing to the riverfront park.

At the center of the development where 88 stories tower and its surrounded mixed-use major character, the landscape will give the leading role to its urban architectures to shine out more with an airy feel of urban landscape trees with more minimalism feel to the landscape.

When move closer towards the river and the uses around the area become more of the residential zone, the landscape trees and canopy will play a more major and more dominant role of higher and thicker canopy trees and more natural landscape.

Many types of trees are used instead of a single type tree in the linear streetscape for more ecological diversity, especially from the residential end of the spine with more big canopy type trees, and the tree mix shall be lesser varieties and more open up to the sky to give the full view of the Landmark Height.

Project: Empire City Public Realm
Architects: Landscape Architects 49 Limited
Photographers: Landscape Architects 49 Limited