Ho Chi Minh University’s green campus wins global competition
A Vietnamese-Japanese design of a university campus has received a Silver Award and a prize money of $200,000 at the Global Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction.
The low-impact greenfield university campus from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture on an island in the Mekong Delta aims to harmonise the elements of the surrounding ecosystem-flooding rice fields, winds and seasonal changes.
Designed by Japanese architect Kazuhiro Kojima with contributions from architects Daisuke Sanuki and Vo Trong Nghia of Vietnam, the project was selected from almost 5,000 construction plans from 121 countries entered at the competition.
During the hand-over ceremony hosted by Holcim Vietnam on July 3 at HCM City, the proposal was recognised principally for its sensitivity to ecological and energy conservation and for its consideration of the correlation between a learning institution and its environment.
The design aims to blend the 40ha campus outside HCM City with its natural environment and uses prevalent winds for natural ventilation of buildings and open circulation areas to reduce the use of air-conditioning.
The project avoids massive reclamation of land and also emulates traditions of Southeast Asian agricultural civilisations. The design considers the sensitivity of its location and requirements of a growing student population. The jury for the global awards was particularly impressed with the ingenuity shown in the proposal. Published under Cement News
