Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects to Design Vietcombank Tower

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has been selected to design the Ho Chi Minh City headquarters of Vietcombank. The client is Vietcombank-Bonday-Benthanh Joint Venture Company Limited.

Vietcombank, also known as the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam, is the flagship bank of Vietnam. The new tower will herald Vietcombank’s major presence in the country’s fastest growing city and largest commercial center. In addition to the branch headquarters, the 35-story Grade A building will contain multi-tenant offices, ancillary facilities, retail, restaurants, and parking.

The project will be the first in Vietnam for Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects.

“Pelli Clarke Pelli is honored to have been chosen for this very important and highly visible project,” said Fred Clarke, FAIA, Senior Principal of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. “The site is one of the most prominent in Ho Chi Minh City, with views to the Saigon River and overlooking an important city square. The Vietcombank and its development partners are among the most respected companies in Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh City headquarters will be a building that represents stability, vision and progress.”

The new tower will face Me Linh Square, one of downtown Ho Chi Minh City’s prime locations. Located on the west bank of the Saigon River, the Square is a focal point of the city’s Beaux-Arts plan, marking the convergence of several important thoroughfares. Vietcombank Tower will be the tallest building on the square, visible on all sides from across the city.

At street level, the new tower will welcome the public with a generous retail component, including a branch of Vietcombank. The new bank will be designed in the tradition of great urban banks around the world — as a civic space that celebrates its country’s growing economic status. The tower will use elegant forms and timeless materials to express the bank’s and the nation’s aspirations.

As a symbol of the growth and development of both Ho Chi Minh City and Vietcombank, the project is of great importance to both Vietcombank and the Joint Venture. The client intends the building to be responsive to its surroundings and a spectacular presence in Ho Chi Minh City.

Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2010 and end in 2012. The preliminary construction cost is estimated at US$67 million.

About Vietcombank-Bonday-Benthanh Joint Venture Company Limited

Vietcombank-Bonday-Benthanh Joint Venture Company Limited was formed by Vietcombank, the flagship bank of Vietnam; Bonday Investments Limited, a Hong Kong-based real estate company; and Benthanh Tourist Service Company, a leading tourism and travel services business.

About Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

Founded in 1977 by Cesar Pelli and Fred Clarke, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has designed some of the world’s most recognizable buildings, including the World Financial Center in New York, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong. The firm’s broad portfolio includes academic buildings, libraries, performing art centers, museums, research centers, residences, and master plans. The work of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects reflects the belief that a firm must not be constrained by a signature style, but that great design arises from collaboration with clients and a respect for each project’s environmental, economic, and social contexts. The firm has been honored with critical acclaim and hundreds of design awards.

The firm has designed headquarters for financial institutions around the world including Citigroup (London), BankBoston (Buenos Aires), Wachovia (Winston-Salem, North Carolina), Bank of America (Charlotte, North Carolina), Lehman Brothers (London), and Wells Fargo (Minneapolis, Minnesota). For more information, visit www.pcparch.com.

Source: Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

Janet Yoder, Director of Communications, +1-203-777-2515, jyoder at pcparch.com