Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects chosen to design PetroVietnam headquarters

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Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects chosen to design PetroVietnam headquarters

David McFadden | architect, architecture | April 05, 2011

New Haven, Conn. — Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects will design a new headquarters for Vietnam’s national oil and gas company, creating a landmark development in Hanoi. PetroVietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation, a subsidiary of PetroVietnam Oil and Gas Group, selected the firm following an international competition. The project is expected to break ground by the end of the year.

“We are honored to be selected for such a prominent project for one of Vietnam’s most important companies,” said Fred Clarke, Senior Principal of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. “Our design expresses the prestige of PetroVietnam and the potential of Hanoi and all of Vietnam.”
In the proposed design, a 79-story tower known as PetroVietnam Tower will contain the company’s headquarters and a luxury hotel. This building will be the centerpiece of the development and the city’s tallest building. To create its distinctive silhouette, the tower is hexagonal at the base and becomes triangular at the top. An adjacent 84,000-square-meter podium is composed of curving forms. A new center for the community, the podium will include a petroleum museum and media center, shops, and a skating rink. At the opposite end of the podium will be a 47-story residential tower with curved facades and a sloping top.

Highlighting PetroVietnam’s interest in sustainable energy, the development will be designed for LEED Gold certification. A glass wall will allow visitors to view some of the building’s high-performance systems in operation. In addition, part of the podium roof will be clad in photovoltaic panels. The building’s use of advanced technology extends to its structural design, which will enable the building to withstand a severe earthquake.

PetroVietnam Tower will be Pelli Clarke Pelli’s second project in Vietnam. The first, Vietcombank Tower, is under construction in Ho Chi Minh City.

About Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

Founded in 1977 and led by Cesar Pelli, Fred Clarke, and Rafael Pelli, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has designed some of the world’s most recognizable buildings, including the World Financial Center in New York, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong. The firm has been honored with critical acclaim and hundreds of design awards, including the American Institute of Architects’ Firm Award and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

About the author

Drawing upon original ideas and extensive personal and professional experience in the field, David McFadden crafted this article to explore the untapped potential of making historic architectural masterpieces more sustainable. After working at various design practices—both full-time and freelance—and launching his design firm, David identified a significant gap in the industry. In 1984, he founded Consulting For Architects Inc. Careers, an expansive hub designed to align architects with hiring firms for mutual benefit. This platform enables architects to find impactful design work and frees hiring firms from the time-consuming cycles of recruitment and layoffs. David’s innovative approach to employer-employee relations has brought much-needed flexibility and adaptation to the industry. As the Founder and CEO, David has successfully guided his clients and staff through the challenges of four recessions—the early ’80s, early ’90s, early 2000s, the Great Recession, the pandemic, and the current slowdown due to inflation and high-interest rates.