Hong Kong – Atkins has been appointed by Empire Group, one of Vietnam’s leading property development pioneers to provide architecture and interior design services for Cocobay Towers. The project is a new architectural icon created by Atkins, following the design of the multiple award winning 461 metre supertall Landmark 81, in Ho Chi Minh City.
Cocobay Towers will be located in Da Nang, the third largest city in Vietnam where tourism is gradually becoming a key economic industry for the city. In 2016, it is estimated that tourism created 27,000 jobs and revenues worth US$720 million. The city has set a target of attracting 6.1 million visitors in 2017, including 1.9 million from other countries. Tourists are drawn to this central Vietnam coastal city for its beach which was voted by Forbes Magazine as one of the sixth most beautiful beaches, its rich heritage and idyllic natural setting. Another popular base for visiting the area is inland Hoi An; an ancient town located to the west of the city having stunning views of Da Nang Bay and the Marble Mountains.
According to Coco Tran, Vice CEO of Empire Group, “Our mission is to reboot the Vietnamese tourism industry and put Da Nang on the world map as a leading tourism destination. We aspire for Cocobay, the 31-hectare Entertainment & Hospitality Hub, to become a world-class entertainment destination, setting a new standard for hospitality, travel and entertainment. We are very confident to work with Atkins on the Cocobay Towers to create ‘a new world’s wonder’, which sets to become a new beacon for the country and complements the Atkins-designed Burj Al Arab for Dubai.”
Ian Milne, Atkins’ Senior Design Director, said: “Cocobay Towers is a new iconic building for Vietnam that will help draw tourism to the region and contribute to the rapid and aspirational growth strategies for the country. Our design is inspired by the auspicious ‘double fish’ symbol which represents prosperity and wealth in Vietnamese culture. The shape of the towers and its façade maximise the spectacular views of the beautiful coastal city of Da Nang for its guests and residents to enjoy from every perspective.”
Located between Da Nang and Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands Cocobay Towers. The project consists of twin towers rising to a height of approximately 200 metres. The development has a total gross floor area of 145,000 square metres and each tower will accommodate both a luxury hotel and a condominium for the Viceroy and Mirai brands. Beneath the towers, the podium will contain ballrooms, hotel function rooms, retail, cinemas and a wax works museum. Guests can indulge themselves in the rooftop infinity pool, sky dining experience in the 360-degree restaurant, and at the most diverse shopping hub in central Vietnam.
The towers are connected by two 52-metre long lightly curved crystal sky bridges, that form a loop and provide a viewing gallery on the 48th floor. The feature offers tourists and guests a breath-taking experience, with panoramic views of the vast East Sea, impressive Mable Mountains, charming Co Co river and the evergreen view of two international standard golf courses for tourists and guests to emerge in. At the height of approximately 200 metres, the Cocobay Towers Crystal Sky Bridge is the tallest crystal sky bridge in Vietnam and thought to be the world’s tallest glass-floored bridge connecting two buildings.
The project has now entered the scheme design phase, with a fast track to construction that’s set to start in summer 2017. In addition to the Cocobay Towers, Atkins has completed the landscape concept design for the Cocobay masterplan’s main axis.
