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District 9, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – Cong Sinh Architects
Project Year : 2016
Photographs : Hiroyuki Oki
Climate change is a global concern, and once productive lands such as Vietnam’s are feeling its effects, too. The impact of climate change on farm productivity has caused food shortage and malnutrition. As such, there is a need to create sustainable food sources.
The architects of the Vegetable Trellis, in response to the need for food, created a design solution for a multi-functional space located beside an auto repair center. It is in an open area with a cool, fresh, and nourishing environment.
Plants climb on white trellises providing shade from too much sun during daytime. The concrete floors are designed to absorb rain water thereby decreasing the risk for flooding.
From the Architect:
Today, the target for hunger reduction is on a global scale. In Asia Pacific, 12% of the population is in bad health because of a lack of food, and just in Vietnam from 2014 to 2016, this number is 11%, which means that 10.3 million people are underfed.
Global climate change has been influencing the agricultural productivity in many areas. Especially in Vietnam today, sea level rise, droughts and salt marsh usually occur in Southern provinces. The aforementioned problems have greatly affected the national food security, which requires us to have appropriate and practical solutions.
The project is the service area beside an auto care center. The visitors of this area and the clients of the center can sit and have a rest here, where part of the food is from the vegetables that are planted in the project. There is a lot of information and knowledge about many types of vegetables available for everyone. Visitors are guided and will have a chance to plant the vegetables right here. They’ll also be inspired to grow these plants at their houses.
The idea is quite simple: we created a vegetable trellis covering the space for activities below to provide a cool and fresh microclimate, which is a very familiar picture in every Vietnamese people’s subconscious mind.
The project was built with the aim of reducing climate change. When the construction came into operation, reality has showed that the space is very clean because the air is filtered by a vegetable trellis above. This is a really energy-efficient project as almost only sunlight is used the whole time the center is open every day (6AM – 6PM). Besides, every space is well-ventilated and we don’t need to use air conditioners.
The design of the ground floor is completely open, which helps connect the spaces indoors and outdoors. So, they can be used flexibly and without limits. This space is a multifunctional one which can become a park, public space, restaurant, a coffee shop or a wedding and convention center, etc.
The construction uses eco-friendly materials. The ground floor is tiled with many concrete planks to make it easier for rainwater to penetrate into the ground. This will help decrease flooding in the area.
With a simple and useful idea, the architects desire to inspire people to grow vegetables at their homes, not just in Vietnam but also in many other countries around the world.
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Putting up trellises for plants to climb over is indeed a genius solution to cool the environment. Then you should read about the family who wrapped their home in a greenhouse to warm in naturally.