Vietnam-based architecture practice Tropical Space has completed an office building in Ho Chi Minh City featuring perforated brick walls. Named Premier Office, the scheme was developed with attention to maximizing natural light throughout the rental office spaces without exposing the interior to intense direct sunlight.

The building is anchored by a central void rising to the full height of the interior, allowing natural light and airflow across the property. On one side of the central void are the office spaces, where two facades can open to capture sunlight and ventilation. The other side of the void accommodates restrooms, storage, and circulation spaces. “By connecting the void between the corridors and empty spaces, both vertically and horizontally, the building can create moving light areas and space displacement during the day,” the design team explains.

While supported by a concrete structure, the building is wrapped in a double-layer brick curtain and aluminum sliding glass doors. The perforated brick wall structure rotates at a 45-degree angle to create a buffer layer that reduces the impact of sunlight while also creating moving shadows. Planting contained within the facade also helps to purify the air while blocking direct sunlight.

“With the perforated brick shell, the rotated wall, and the gaps, the Premier Office does not have the feeling of invading the urban space,” the team adds. “Bringing an old material like a brick into the project makes the newly-built building blend into the neighborhood itself.”

Premier Office is one of several recently-completed schemes to feature in our editorial. Yesterday, we covered a residence in the Brazilian rainforest which weaves its way through existing trees, while last week, we published details of Arshia Architects’ Bel Air residence inspired by automotive design and the new Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.

Last month, meanwhile, we covered MVRDV’s new demountable science building in Amsterdam, as well as Toyo Ito’s completion of the largest mass timber building in Asia.