Vietnamese architecture studio VTN Architects has completed a new education center for Viettel, Vietnam’s largest mobile network operator. Housing classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, cinema, halls with short-term accommodation and training courses, the center is located in a Training Center Campus at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, which is 30 km away from Hanoi, Vietnam. 

Called Viettel Academy Educational Center, the campus is activated with cubic brick volumes and multi-level floating circulation paths, internal gardens, corridors, ramps, and staircases. 

The building provides a cooling microclimate as it is surrounded by beautiful landscape, lakes and abundant green space. The Educational Center is very accessible from the residential zone and other facilities due to its central location within the campus. 

VTN Architects aimed to create a quiet and peaceful space for the trainees to focus on their studies, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The 2,651-square-metre building consists of 12 blocks with a floating concrete canopy. The main blocks are 4 to 5 stories whereas the rest are only 2 to 3 stories high. These blocks are surrounded by an overflow pool, which not only creates beautiful reflections of the buildings and surrounding landscape but also helpsin regulating its microclimate.

"The blocks are connected by multi-level circulation paths, such as corridors, ramps, and staircases. This offers many interesting views as well as various quiet areas for studying," said VTN Architects.

"Due of the humid tropical climate in Hanoi, a lightweight concrete roof is designed to cover the majority of semi-outdoor spaces, which also functions as sky walk. Besides, the roof helps to reduce direct radiation from sunlight," the studio added.

The architects designed a garden system on the first floor which is arranged alternately among the blocks, creating a friendly atmosphere for trainees and bringing them closer to nature. Roof gardens are scattered on different floors forming a series of hanging gardens that provide students a relaxing spacefor interaction during breaks.

VTN Architects used local bricks for the building finishes, creating an impressive red-brick facade for the whole project. The monolithic facade exudes a strong and rustic presence. The 300-400mm-thick facade is made of 2 layers of brick-wall withvoid in-between for insolation to reduce energy use. 

The brick facades become the backdrop of activities that are taking place around the blocks, creating a vivid memory for the participants during the training course. The combination of red bricks facade with green space will bring a harmonious atmosphere with nature.

All images © Hiroyuki Oki

> via VTN Architects