Vo Trong Nghia's Stacking Green House has been awarded Building of the Year 2012 by the American magazine Archdaily.
The Vietnamese architect was among 14 people to be awarded prizes last week in the US. He was also voted second favourite by the magazine's readers.
The Stacking Green House was a joint project by Nghia and two Japanese co-workers Sanuki Daisuke and Nishizawa Shunri featuring a three-storey house designed for a three-generation family to live in.
The house is a typical tube house constructed on the plot 4m wide and 20m long in HCM City's District 2.
The distance between the planters and the height of the planters can be adjusted according to the height of the plants, which varies from 25cm to 40cm.
"To water plants and for easy maintenance, we use the automatic irrigation pipes inside the planters. We named this tropical, unique and eco-friendly house Stacking Green because its facade is filled with vigorous and vital greenery," Nghia was quoted by Vietnam News daily.
The green facade and roof top garden protect its inhabitants from direct sunlight, street noise and pollution, Nghia said.
Furthermore, natural ventilation through the facades and two top-lights allow this house to save lots of energy and avoid the harsh climate of the southern HCM City.
"Concerning these ecological approaches, we referred a lot to the bioclimatic principles of a traditional Vietnamese courtyard house," said Nghia.
By popular vote on the architectural website Ashui.com, Nghia won Vietnam’s Architect of the Year 2012. The Quang Binh native triumphed over two other nominees after a four day public voting period.
A graduate of Japan’s Nagoya Institute of Technology class of 2002, Nghia leads an award-wining, self-titled practice known for its intricate bamboo and sustainable structures.
Source: VNA