2023 has been a fulfilling year for enCity as our work and contributions have been repeatedly recognised through various international awards, including the prestigious Singapore Business Award and the Singapore Good Design Award (SG Mark). Continuing that winning streak, enCity’s Casamia Balanca Hoi An Waterfront Eco-community won the Silver award of the Vietnam Urban Planning Award 2023 for Category A – Construction Planning Project.
Once a prosperous port city, Hoi An is a well-conserved heritage city with architectural legacies, beautiful landscape, and a 140-hectare coastal mangrove forest. The challenge of the project lies in the conservation of the natural landscape and ecology, while still generating real estate and economic value in strict adherence to the architectural standards of the ancient city.
enCity’s design draws inspiration from the mesmerising natural landscapes of Hoi An – from the ebb and flow of the waterways to the existing nipa palm forest. One central concept was to bring water into every precinct, providing a non-disruptive transition between the built environment and the existing ecosystem, and creating an urban identity rooted in natural heritage. Additionally, the charming architectural features of Hoi An, such as the intricate street networks, the iconic red roofs, and small-scale commercial activities are sensitively integrated into the architectural blocks within the project site, creating diverse public and private spaces that are friendly to human scale.
According to the judging panel, Casamia Balanca Hoi An Waterfront Eco-community is the first project in the region that centres around a unique landscape concept, providing a waterfront destination for both tourists and the local community, creating nightlife and lifestyle attractions. enCity’s approach of respecting the ecosystem and harmonizing with the local culture and architecture provides the ideal solution for a sustainable ecological urban area worthy of this heritage city.
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