On February 27, city officials approved the design for phase one of Saigon's new administrative building.
The total cost of the project is estimated at US$2.4 million, reports Tuoi Tre. The addition is set to occupy the property at 213 Dong Khoi, a spot which once housed one of Saigon's finest art deco structures. Located just beside the city's iconic administrative building at the junction of Le Thanh Ton and Nguyen Hue, this new structure will cover an area of up to 18,000 square meters. Once complete, the current administrative building will remain in operation alongside its newer counterpart.
According to Zing, the addition will host eight government agencies with a total of 95 departments and 1,700 future employees. Featuring two above-ground stories and a basement, the new structure will serve as office space for public servants in addition to housing a 1,800-square-meter parking lot and technical room underneath.
The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee building has long been scheduled for a structural upgrade. In January 2015, officials held a design competition for the new building, with Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei winning the project. Local residents were able to vote for their preferred plan from 11 shortlisted proposals.
[Rendering via Historic Vietnam]
