Architects Buro Ole Scheeren reveal 'sky forest' as part of project in Vietnam

A bold design for a sky-high forest jutting out of a skyscraper is set to transform Ho Chi Minh City’s skyline.

The striking three-tower development, sitting on a mountain-shaped base inspired by Vietnam’s hills, is destined for the eastern bank of the Saigon River. 

Rising 333 metres into the sky with 88 floors, it will be one of the tallest buildings in the country. 

The new “Empire City” project is part of international architecture firm Buro Ole Scheeren’s first foray into Vietnam.

The standout feature is the “sky forest” – a multi-level garden that swells organically outwards, placed towards the top of the 88 Tower, which is the tallest of the three. 

Aside from providing what should be spectacular views of the surrounding city, the garden will be home to a restaurant and – appropriately enough – be dotted with native plants and water features. 

The tower will also hold a mix of residential and commercial spaces, as well as a hotel, and it will be topped off by a “cloud space” observation deck. 

“We want to make the earth touch the sky and vice versa – to mirror [the] nature on the ground into the sky and create a very lyrical moment for the building” architect Ole Scheeren told CNN. 

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“If you look at Vietnam’s nature it’s really incredible. It has the power of the tropics that I’ve loved for a long time.”

Empire City will be built by the Empire City Limited Liability Company, a multi-national joint venture. 

Scheeren has been involved in several other projects in south-east Asia, including The Interlace in Singapore, while working with OMA. That development won 2015’s Building of the Year Award at the World Architecture Festival.

He’s also the creative vision behind Thailand’s MahaNakhon tower, a skyscraper with a “three-dimensional ribbon of architectural pixels” designed for Bangkok.