Checkerboard building in Vietnam sports balconies with live trees

There are green buildings, and then there are buildings like this one, currently being constructed by Vietnamese design firm Vo Trong Nghia Architects. The new PT University’s administrative building is a seven-story prefab structure with a checkerboard façade that incorporates live trees! Located at Thach That just outside Hanoi, the building is unlike any we’ve ever seen before and has lush tree-filled balconies that double up as indoor gardens.

The building is inspired by the shape of a flying dragon and promotes sustainable development in Vietnam. To keep away longer electricity bills generated by air-conditioning systems, the architects have oriented the building to face the prevailing wind and enjoy cross ventilation inside! The trees on the building’s balconies also act as a filter, cooling down winds blowing into the building and turning the interiors pleasant.

[Via – Inhabitat]