MASTER PLAN (IDEAS)
* Ecopolis Motion City (2026) – BOI ARCHI DESIGN (Boi Interiors & Architecture Group - BIAG) - Co-partner with Honda
Credit: SASAKI
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is undergoing a significant transformation, guided by a vision of sustainability, mobility, and innovation. The projects by SASAKI, Foster + Partners, and BOI ARCHI DESIGN (BIAG), among others, collectively contribute to reshaping the city into a sustainable, livable, and technologically advanced metropolis. The ultimate goal—to be ranked among the world's top 50 sustainable cities by 2035 and 2050—is ambitious yet achievable through strategic urban planning and execution.
1. The “Form” These Projects Give to HCMC
Each of these projects contributes a different but complementary form to the city’s evolution, addressing key urban challenges like traffic congestion, environmental sustainability, smart infrastructure, and housing affordability.
Credit: SASAKI
Won the competition in 2019
Form Contribution: Fostering Connectivity and Urban Diversity
Establishes a hub for research, education, and tech-driven industries.
Creates mixed-use spaces that integrate housing, offices, and social areas, reducing urban sprawl.
Enhances public spaces and pedestrian-friendly environments, promoting social inclusivity and creativity.
Why It’s a Good Form:
This project aligns with global best practices for innovation hubs, encouraging a knowledge-based economy that fuels long-term economic growth. It also emphasizes walkability and mixed-use development, reducing the need for car-dependent urban sprawl.
This project aligns with global best practices for innovation hubs, encouraging a knowledge-based economy that fuels long-term economic growth. It also emphasizes walkability and mixed-use development, reducing the need for car-dependent urban sprawl.
Credit: SASAKI
Form Contribution: Waterfront Revitalization as an Engine for Growth
Transforms the Saigon River into a central public space.
Introduces green infrastructure, flood management solutions, and leisure spaces.
Encourages waterfront mobility with ferries, walkways, and cycling infrastructure.
Why It’s a Good Form:
By reintegrating the city with its river, the project enhances resilience against flooding, mitigates urban heat effects, and creates a thriving economic and recreational hub.
By reintegrating the city with its river, the project enhances resilience against flooding, mitigates urban heat effects, and creates a thriving economic and recreational hub.
Credit: SASAKI
Form Contribution: Creating a Modern, High-Density Urban Core
Develops a mixed-use financial and cultural district with high-rise office spaces, residential areas, and green corridors.
Establishes a well-connected, transit-oriented urban layout.
Introduces climate-responsive design strategies (e.g., flood-resistant infrastructure).
Why It’s a Good Form:
Thu Thiem mirrors global models like Shanghai’s Pudong District or Singapore’s Marina Bay, creating a well-planned financial and cultural center that complements downtown HCMC.
Thu Thiem mirrors global models like Shanghai’s Pudong District or Singapore’s Marina Bay, creating a well-planned financial and cultural center that complements downtown HCMC.
Credit: Foster + Partners
Form Contribution: A High-Tech, Mixed-Use Global Hub
Focuses on smart infrastructure, sustainable buildings, and high-density mixed-use spaces.
Integrates AI-driven urban planning, IoT-based city management, and sustainable transportation.
Prioritizes high-quality public spaces and carbon-neutral strategies.
Why It’s a Good Form:
By leveraging technology and sustainable urbanism, this project sets new benchmarks for smart city development, ensuring a globally competitive urban identity.
By leveraging technology and sustainable urbanism, this project sets new benchmarks for smart city development, ensuring a globally competitive urban identity.
Credit: BOI ARCHI DESIGN (Boi Interiors & Architecture Group - BIAG)
Credit: Honda
* Ecopolis Motion City (2026) – BOI ARCHI DESIGN (Boi Interiors & Architecture Group - BIAG)
To reshape Ho Chi Minh City by 2050, the Ecopolis Motion City master plan focuses on:
The Four Quarters of the project:
1. Green Quarter (Environmental Sustainability)
- Expand urban forests, rooftop farms, and renewable energy.
- Reduce CO₂ emissions by 70% through electric transportation and solar power.
2. Motion Quarter (Mobility & Transportation)
- 100% EV infrastructure by 2050.
- Smart public transit, bike lanes, and congestion pricing.
3. Livability Quarter (Community & Social Spaces)
- Increase green space per capita from 4m² to 20m².
- Promote mixed-income housing and urban resilience.
4. Smart City Quarter (Technology & Innovation)
- Use AI, IoT (Internet of Things), and smart grids to optimize energy use and transport.
- Develop digital governance systems for efficient city management.
The Four Quarters of the project:
1. Green Quarter (Environmental Sustainability)
- Expand urban forests, rooftop farms, and renewable energy.
- Reduce CO₂ emissions by 70% through electric transportation and solar power.
2. Motion Quarter (Mobility & Transportation)
- 100% EV infrastructure by 2050.
- Smart public transit, bike lanes, and congestion pricing.
3. Livability Quarter (Community & Social Spaces)
- Increase green space per capita from 4m² to 20m².
- Promote mixed-income housing and urban resilience.
4. Smart City Quarter (Technology & Innovation)
- Use AI, IoT (Internet of Things), and smart grids to optimize energy use and transport.
- Develop digital governance systems for efficient city management.
Why It’s a Good Form:
Ecopolis Motion City redefines the urban paradigm by integrating climate-resilient design, sustainable mobility, and digital governance. It prioritizes people over cars, significantly enhancing air quality, traffic flow, and quality of life.
Ecopolis Motion City redefines the urban paradigm by integrating climate-resilient design, sustainable mobility, and digital governance. It prioritizes people over cars, significantly enhancing air quality, traffic flow, and quality of life.
* The Journey to Becoming a Top 50 Sustainable City by 2035 & 2050
Achieving this goal will require addressing major urban challenges:
Challenges HCMC Must Overcome:
Traffic & Road System 🚗
Solutions: Expanding public transit, EV adoption, and congestion pricing.
Air Quality & Environmental Issues 🌍
Solutions: Urban reforestation, green architecture, and banning fossil-fuel-powered motorbikes.
Weather & Climate Resilience 🌧️
Solutions: Flood-resistant infrastructure, smart drainage, and permeable urban surfaces.
Housing & Urban Density 🏢
Solutions: Affordable mixed-income housing, high-density transit-oriented development (TOD).
Energy & Sustainability ⚡
Solutions: Renewable energy, smart grids, and energy-efficient buildings.
What Will Change by 2050?
EV-First Urban Design: Electric motorbikes and bikes dominate HCMC.
No Fossil Fuel Vehicles: Private cars are limited in city cores.
More Green Spaces: Urban forests and parks replace concrete-heavy districts.
AI-Driven City Management: Automated traffic, smart waste disposal, and real-time air quality control.
Global Tech & Innovation Hub: HCMC has become a key player in Southeast Asia’s digital economy.
Credit: Honda
Credit: BOI ARCHI DESIGN (Boi Interiors & Architecture Group - BIAG)
** The Future of Ho Chi Minh City
HCMC’s transformation into a sustainable, tech-driven metropolis will make it one of the most forward-thinking cities in Asia. The combination of innovation districts, smart infrastructure, and a commitment to environmental resilience is a blueprint for 21st-century urban success.
These projects—each contributing a vital form to the city's future—showcase a harmonious blend of ecology, technology, and human-centric urbanism. The journey to 2050 will bring surprises, innovations, and challenges, but HCMC is on the path to becoming Vietnam’s first true green with the motion-powered city.
