20 Years of gmp in Vietnam
Designing with Climate Responsibility and Resource Efficiency
On December 3, 2024, von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects (gmp) celebrated the 20th anniversary of their office in Vietnam. Present at the event were gmp Founding Partner Volkwin Marg and Executive Partner Nikolaus Goetze, who marked the occasion together with guests from politics, culture, business, and architecture.
The celebration took place at the historic site of the old Vietnamese Imperial City in Hanoi. The archaeological findings there, along with the citadel, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. This special location takes gmp back to the origins of its engagement in Vietnam: It was here that the firm won its first competition for the Vietnamese National Assembly and the National Congress Center in 2002. Today, the Parliament Building stands at this site whereas the National Congress Center was built outside the city center to a new design by gmp due to the excavations.
Vietnamese National Assembly Building © Christian Gahl
In 2004, gmp opened an office in Hanoi. To date, the firm has participated in a total of 50 competitions in Vietnam, winning 19 of them. Seven projects have been realized, and two more are currently under construction. The completed projects include a series of prominent public buildings: The National Conference Center served as the venue for the APEC Summit in Hanoi in 2006. The German House in Ho Chi Minh City, which houses German and international institutes and companies, is a place for exchange between Germany and Vietnam, Europe and Southeast Asia. And the center for administration and conferences currently under construction in Hai Phong is an important part of the new government district in Vietnam’s third largest city.
National Conference Center © Marcus Bredt
Political and Administrative Center & City Performance and Convention Center in Hai Phong © ATCHAIN Architectural Visualization
A key challenge when building in Vietnam is the climate, which is characterized by high humidity and very hot summers. It is therefore important for gmp to respond to these conditions with climate-appropriate and resource-efficient architectural solutions. A solar field of approximately 2,500 square meters to the east of the National Conference Center provides energy for the building – a pioneering project in Vietnam. The Hanoi Museum uses passive climate strategies to minimize energy consumption and optimally respond to the demands of the subtropical climate: the building is shaped like an inverted pyramid, so each floor shades the one below it. The German House in Ho Chi Minh City was the first building in Vietnam and one of the few in Southeast Asia to receive not only one, but three major energy efficiency certificates: LEED Platinum for design and construction (2017), LEED Platinum for operation and maintenance (2024), and DGNB Gold (2018). The compact double-skin facade, which was unique in the region when completed in 2018, results in a 35% saving in cooling energy compared to the local building standard.
Hanoi Museum © Marcus Bredt
Deutsches Haus © Marcus Bredt
Reflecting on the past twenty years, gmp Executive Partner Nikolaus Goetze concludes: "Vietnam is a dynamic country that has experienced impressive and rapid development over the past decades. It is very inspiring to be a part of this journey and to feel the energy and ambition firsthand."
