Image Credit : LAVA
Project Overview
LAVA’s design for Van Phu, a new triple-tower mixed-use project in Hanoi takes its inspiration from the UNESCO heritage-listed BảN GiốC Waterfall. It creates a unique destination in Hanoi by blending features of local nature with the lifestyle of the future.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
LAVA: Chris Bosse, Tobias Wallisser, Alexander Rieck
Project Brief
The vertical highrise village with apartments and offices connected by green bridges and with views to the new Hanoi performance arts centre sits in a 19ha lake located near one of Hanoi’s main arterial roads connecting to Noi Bai Airport.
Project Innovation/Need
The concept is inspired by the famous waterfall, which is surrounded by groups of karst peaks and where water rushes down three tiers and is separated into three falls by rocks and trees.
Referencing the three tiers of the falls, the three towers are connected by green skybridges on various levels. Terraces link to a stepped podium connected by cascading waterfalls over several levels.
What’s really special about this project is the towers form a vertical village for living, working, shopping and leisure alike. We care about creating destinations for people, to meet and to live, work and enjoy life together. We want people to feel like they can be on holiday in their own homes, work and play in a leisurely environment. The communal indoor-outdoor facilities on the skydecks and rooftops, such as pools and barbecue areas, jogging tracks and cafes, really make the development stand out.
Design Challenge
Vietnam has recently experienced a development boom similar to other Asian countries. A lot of the city’s original fabric is being destroyed and replaced by large-scale big-box mono-use towers, usually on a generic podium, with very little respect or relationship to the local context, climate and culture.
LAVA is excited to contribute a new perspective, working closely with our local design partners, to address these issues. And to help re-define the architecture, as local themes, such as the Hanoi fine grain old town, the rolling hills and the Vietnamese familial structure, are reflected and respected in the designs.
Sustainability
Sustainability is also key – there is a high density façade design especially suitable for a tropical climate. Louvres provide full shading for 90% of working hours while maintaining a high daylight factor through the use of a perforated mesh material. The louvre bowl shape is informed by aerodynamic studies to enhance the air circulation for a more comfortable microclimate.
The apartment floor plan allows for natural cross ventilation, and the balcony enclosures provide privacy and protection against the strong sun while allowing for comfortable airflow through the mesh screens. Rainwater harvesting is collected from the fixed roofs, terraces and the façade and is used for irrigation.
The towers are surrounded by accessible green space equal to 1.25 times the size of the site. This greenery serves as a public sanctuary and mediates the microclimate – a sustainable solution for rapidly growing cities.
Architecture - Proposed - International
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow. The project can be a concept, tender or personal project, i.e. proposed space.
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