The high-class Condotel hotel complex creates a connection with the tourist landscape of Cap Saint-Jaques beach, connecting with the coast and surrounding urban public activities, creating an attractive destination for tourists and users. An open space with a variety of services will become a public space where shopping-entertainment-rest and relaxation activities will take place day and night. The complex of 2 towers with 40-storey and 10-storey service podiums with a total usable area of ​​up to 130,000 sq.m will create vibrancy for Cap Saint-Jaques beach city. Active spaces with expansive views of the sea will create a connection between the building and the surrounding beautiful landscape. All functional spaces are open and filled with sunlight, green grass and harmonize with the surrounding sky and deep blue ocean. The system of squares, flower gardens, waterfalls, green walls will create attractiveness for the project.

The aim is to improve the links between Can Gio and other provinces such as Vung Tau. As the city of Ho Chi Minh gets bigger, more and more infrastructures are needed and the ecology of Can Gio could get damaged. A special emphasis is put on developing the links with nearby beach resort of Vung Tau. First, through a network of speedboats and later with the construction of a tunnel under the sea. While the Jury found the tunnel proposal to be highly arguable, they do acknowledge that the previous approved masterplan does not make enough provision for improving these links. Team 4 made those links a central objective.

Another axis of development displayed by the team is the diversification of tourism activities. These could include walks or boat trips through the mangrove but also farms visits, beach activities and visits to nearby provinces made easily accessible with the new links. A project of reclaiming land to create two artificial islands just off the coast at the eastern and western end was also put forward by the team. These islands would host diverse tourism activities.

These objectives will not be met unless the infrastructure is improved. A system of speed transportation needs to be implemented. It should respect the environment and limit the pollution and it will bring Can Gio closer to nearby development areas. Fresh water needs to be supplied for citizens and tourists. A water collection and recycling system should be used to make better use of a precious resource and to avoid pollution of the water. Construction of eco houses will counter-balance the development of infrastructure. All other means of transport will also be environmentally friendly.

The project aims at enhancing the quality of life of the inhabitants of Can Gio. This will be achieved by retaining the activities of farming, and along the beach and by upgrading them. Locals will be encouraged to join the services, trade and production activities in order to serve the needs of tourism. Local traditional activities will be increased so people who live in the forest or on the beach or river can share their way of life. Many public spaces and associated activities of leisure and entertainment will be created.

The south of Can Gio along the beach will be developed and will pay particular attention to maintain links from the forest to the sea. There will be 6 types of links: an agricultural production axis, a commercial axis, a festival axis, a handicraft village axis, a traditional market axis and a public space axis.

The ultimate goal of this proposal is to enhance people’s senses and emotion, thus creating an ‘emotional city’. Visitors and locals alike will be able to listen to the sound of the forest and to the sound of the beach They will enjoy spectacular views of the sea and of the forest. They will swim and touch the waves or touch the forest. They can smell the air of the sea and discover the complex fragrances of the mangrove. They can taste the local production of seafood from the river or from the sea. Their emotions will be enhanced by the history, the culture and the tradition of Can Gio.

Ho Viet Vinh – Leader Architect, Urban Planner
Pham Phu Cuong – Architect
Nguyen Hong Minh – Architect
Hoang Anh Tu – Architect, Urban Planner
Pham Anh Tuan – Architect, Urban Planner
Nguyen Anh Tuan – Architect, Landscape Architect

Team 4, being composed of Vietnamese professionals only, Leader by Architect Ho Viet Vinh, had very strong insights about the future of Can Gio. It set itself a number of objectives to be achieved through the development of Can Gio. These included the protection of the mangrove, including both the core and transition area, to make full use of the local production activities and to develop them, to protect the water from pollution from the Saigon-Dong Nai river and from the sea.

Team 4 was awarded a special mention by the Workshops of Cergy- Pontoise.

Cam Pha coal mine was established by the French in 1886 with the name Société Francais des Charbonneges du Tonkin under King Tu Duc. The stratigraphic structure of the coal mine is deepened in the shape of deep underground terraces. The coal seams gradually revealed themselves in the light that cut through the valley. The jet black color of greed mixed with the reddish brown color of the earth and the dry dust in the air: all blended to create abstract colors tinged with depth. The project is inspired by the block of coal seams that overlap in opposite directions. An inverted image of the coal seam structure to represent the remaining void. Construction materials are taken from coal seams to form stacked bricks. Space, materials and scenery seem to blend together to create the mood of the miners.

PROJECT INFO