The three 22-storey-tall blocks will be linked by a planted roof garden and bridges, and a series of small pavilions that overlook the waterways and city below.

Located just over two miles from the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, the Diamond Lotus housing scheme is designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects for a finger of land between two rivers that wind through the city to the East Vietnam Sea.

The tower blocks will provide 720 homes on the 8,400-square-metre site, each with access to planted balconies and the roof garden.

The connected roofs provide the residents with a large green space, which is a rarity in this crowded city. The facades, however, are covered with planter boxes that control heat gain from the powerful tropical sunlight. Bamboo is chosen to be planted throughout each 22-storey building because of its structural flexibility against storms. While other developments are expediting the loss of greenery in the city, the ‘green bridge’ and green facade of this project are regarded as not only a dedication to the comfort of inhabitants, but also a contribution to the landscape, appearing as a ‘green screen’.

“The three volumes are appropriate for large-scale housing and the roof of each is connected to resonate with Vietnamese Feng Shui,” said the studio. “The connected roof provides the residents with a large green space, which rarely occurs in the city.”

“While other developments are expediting the loss of greenery in the city, the green bridge and green facade of this project are regarded as not only a dedication to the comfort of inhabitants,” said the architects, “but also a contribution to the landscape, appearing as a green screen in the city.”