An architectural work by prize-winning Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia has been recognized as “Building of the Year” by Archdaily, a world-leading website dedicated to architecture.

Nghia’s “Binh Thanh House” has been name the winner in the “Houses” category.

The house, located in Binh Thanh District, is composed of two different spaces positioned alternately and features pattern blocks, which used to be a popular shading device in Vietnam to get natural ventilation.

Made of pre-cast concrete, the blocks not only keep out harsh sunlight and heavy rain but also enhance the house owner’s sense of privacy and safety.

While the house looks different from the stereotypical townhouses in Ho Chi Minh City, Nghia’s work offers an interpretation of the ecological lifestyle in the modern tropical city.

His other work, “Kontum Indochine Café,” also landed in the Top 5 in the website’s Hospitality Architecture category.

The roof of the main building, situated in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, is supported by a pure bamboo structure which is composed of 15 units shaped in the upside-down cones.

This open structure allows the maximum amount of wind into the building during the summer, while keeping out gusts or storms during the windy season.

By providing shadow under the bamboo roof and maximizing the cool air flow, the open-air indoor space can do without air conditioning even in the hot climate.

The roof is covered with fiber-reinforced plastic panels and thatch.

The website voters have narrowed down the list from hundreds of works to five per category, and then selected 14 winners in 14 categories.

The categories include Religious, Interior, Sports, Educational, Hospitality, Commercial, Public, Industrial, Cultural and Healthcare Architecture, Refurbishment, Offices, Houses, and Housing.

Vo Trong Nghia pocketed 11 international architecture awards of various categories in 2012.

He was named ‘the vanguard designer’ by the US Architectural Record, and one of the top 21 architects of the 21st century by the World Architecture News in the same year for his unique bamboo works, including Eco-resort Pavilion in Vietnam and Hill Restaurant in Mexico.

Last month he was also one of the two young Vietnamese talents to be selected as Young Global Leaders, an annual title conferred by the World Economic Forum.

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