Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Sep. 1. 2025
Reviewed by David Vi Boi Huynh, BOI ARCHI DESIGN & BOI Design Studio
1. What "Form" Did Atkins Give to Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam?
Atkins gave Landmark 81 a sculpted, bundled vertical form that draws directly from the Vietnamese cultural symbol of a cluster of bamboo, embodying unity and strength. The form is both symbolic and performative: a tiered, tapering skyscraper that gestures upward like a vertical bundle of rods, creating a striking silhouette on the skyline.
Atkins gave Landmark 81 a sculpted, bundled vertical form that draws directly from the Vietnamese cultural symbol of a cluster of bamboo, embodying unity and strength. The form is both symbolic and performative: a tiered, tapering skyscraper that gestures upward like a vertical bundle of rods, creating a striking silhouette on the skyline.
2. How Did They Give This "Form"?
The form originated from a simple modular grid system (6×6 bays) wrapped around a central core, then sculpted by removing mass progressively with height to respond to both functional zoning (residences, hotel, observatory) and aesthetic aspirations. This subtraction creates setbacks that accommodate rooftop gardens and terraces, enhancing the user experience and breaking down visual bulk.
The form originated from a simple modular grid system (6×6 bays) wrapped around a central core, then sculpted by removing mass progressively with height to respond to both functional zoning (residences, hotel, observatory) and aesthetic aspirations. This subtraction creates setbacks that accommodate rooftop gardens and terraces, enhancing the user experience and breaking down visual bulk.
3. Is it a Good Form for a New Residential Place?
Yes—Landmark 81 successfully integrates luxury vertical living with public-facing amenities, offering a variety of residential units (from bachelor flats to penthouses), all with balconies and some with private gardens. The setbacks are not arbitrary; they’re precisely aligned with structural and spatial logic to optimize daylight, cross-ventilation, and urban views—making it an exemplary high-rise residential form.
Yes—Landmark 81 successfully integrates luxury vertical living with public-facing amenities, offering a variety of residential units (from bachelor flats to penthouses), all with balconies and some with private gardens. The setbacks are not arbitrary; they’re precisely aligned with structural and spatial logic to optimize daylight, cross-ventilation, and urban views—making it an exemplary high-rise residential form.
4. Will This Form Continue to Give in the Future?
Absolutely. The building’s formal logic—modular adaptability, mixed-use verticality, and cultural storytelling—makes it a timeless template for urban megastructures in dense cities. Its commitment to both symbolism and efficiency suggests enduring value in both skyline identity and liveability, particularly in growing Asian metropolises.
Absolutely. The building’s formal logic—modular adaptability, mixed-use verticality, and cultural storytelling—makes it a timeless template for urban megastructures in dense cities. Its commitment to both symbolism and efficiency suggests enduring value in both skyline identity and liveability, particularly in growing Asian metropolises.
5. Conclusion
Landmark 81 is a form-driven skyscraper where structure meets symbolism. Its stepped form expresses Vietnamese heritage, its setbacks serve functional elegance, and its integration of retail, hotel, and residential functions reflects a 21st-century urban vision. It is a form that not only responds to technical, social, and climatic needs but one that emotionally resonates with the local context—an exemplary act of contemporary formgiving.
Landmark 81 is a form-driven skyscraper where structure meets symbolism. Its stepped form expresses Vietnamese heritage, its setbacks serve functional elegance, and its integration of retail, hotel, and residential functions reflects a 21st-century urban vision. It is a form that not only responds to technical, social, and climatic needs but one that emotionally resonates with the local context—an exemplary act of contemporary formgiving.
7. Review: LEGO MOC Architecture Model – LANDMARK 81 (2019)
By BOI Design Team (2019)
In 2019, the BOI Design Team created a detailed LEGO MOC of Landmark 81, an architectural icon and the tallest building in Vietnam. This MOC model consists of approximately 850 pieces, primarily using transparent brown and dark gray elements to replicate the tower’s elegant glass façade and sleek modern design. The build captures the verticality and distinctive form of the original structure, offering an impressive display piece that celebrates Vietnam’s rapid urban development and architectural achievements.
7. Case Study
