In the list of 30 tallest buildings in Vietnam, in addition to prominent names such as Keangnam 72, Landmark 81, Lotte Center, Bitexco, other skyscrapers include Discovery Complex A, Vietcombank Tower, Saigon Center 2, etc.
In 2011, when Keangnam Landmark 72 building (336m) came into operation, it was known as the Vietnam’s tallest building and became a symbol for the development of construction, industry and service sectors in the country. Moreover, this skyscraper is also considered a symbol of Vietnam's economic growth at that time.
According to experts, the race of building skyscrapers partly reflects the power race among real estate giants. It is also an indicator of economic growth for each year and period.
Keangnam 72 was once considered a symbol of Vietnam’s economy growth. (Photo: Zing.vn)
For example, in 2010, GDP grew 6.78%, the highest since 2008. Also in this year, many skyscraper projects were started, 5 of which still appear the list of top 30 highest ones until now.
Meanwhile, two projects, PVN Tower with expected height of 528m and Hoa Sen Hotel, were also kicked off. According to their developers, once completed and put into operation, these two buildings will take the crown from Keangnam Landmark 72 and become the country’s tallest skycraper. But so far, both projects have not been completed yet.
Similarly, in 2017-2018 period, GDP rose by 6.81% and 7.08%, respectively. The two years saw 15 out of 30 tallest skycrapers built and completed, including Landmark 81 (461m).
In constrast, the economy experienced a tough time in 2012-2013 period. At that time, no skyscraper was built. Until 2014, when the domestic economy showed signs of recovery, five buildings were started and completed in 2-4 years later, typically Landmark 81, CT4 Vimeco.
The average time to complete a skyscraper project is 4.3 years. In particular, it takes many developers only 2 years to complete their skycrapers, while others have not done their projects after a decade. Some project developers even cannot determine the time of operation.
Typically, Saigon One Tower project is ranked 7th in the list of Vietnam’s tallest buildings, with a height of 195m. Although it was started in 2007 but the construction has been delayed so far. In 2018, Saigon One Tower was put up for auction.
Meanwhile, the Doanh Nhan Tower (Ha Dong, Hanoi) is advertised as a project to celebrate the 1000 years of Thang Long Hanoi, with a height of 168m, corresponding to 45 floors. Until now, the project has been sluggish, construction works were paused and restarted many times.
After nearly a decade, Doanh Nhan Tower is still under construction.
Most of Vietnam’s highest skyscrapers are located in Hanoi, with 16 out of 30 ones, of 52 percent, followed by Ho Chi Minh City (32 percent), Nha Trang (6 percent), Da Nang (6 percent) and Hai Phong (3 percent).
