T&T’s urban ecosystem in the Mekong Delta

T&T is building urban, commercial, and service ecosystems to help create new competitive capacity for the Mekong Delta in its next development cycle.

In Vinh Long, Bau Hien’s T&T Group is developing the Phuoc Tho Residential Area under an integrated and synchronized urban area model. The project is also home to the Hilton Garden Inn hotel – an international hotel brand managed by Hilton.

Phuoc Tho Residential Area was honored as a Livable Project 2024 by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). Photo: T&T Group

While the urban ecosystem helps create new growth momentum, development in the Mekong Delta is also tied to local advantages, promoting the inherent values of the land and the ability to adapt to natural conditions in the face of climate change challenges such as saltwater intrusion, freshwater shortages, and ecosystem changes.

Many experts have pointed out that protecting the flow of the Mekong River, limiting saltwater intrusion, and maintaining livelihoods for local residents is a national task that exceeds the capacity of individual localities. In this context, an urban area that wants to create long-term value must rely not only on location or infrastructure but also on adapting to the region’s specific natural conditions.

Phuoc Tho Residential Area dedicates about 30 percent of its area to greenery and water surfaces. Photo: T&T Group

Following this approach, Phuoc Tho Residential Area is planned according to the criteria of living with the waters, taking advantage of being bordered by rivers on three sides. About 30 percent of the project area is dedicated to greenery and water surfaces, along with a system of parks, riverside walking paths, and open spaces to catch the breeze. The project’s architecture is inspired by the Florida style with an open space design, optimizing natural light and ventilation, combined with landscapes inspired by the Mekong River ecosystem.

The project also integrates local cultural values into the planning. The riverside pedestrian streets are designed in connection with community living spaces, inspired by the river life and typical trading activities of the Southwest region. Several landscape highlights are developed based on the image of Vinh Long’s traditional Mang Thit pottery village.

Phuoc Tho Residential Area is developed under an integrated urban model. Photo: T&T Group

Along with Vinh Long, T&T Group is also continuing to develop its urban ecosystem under an integrated and synchronized model in two other localities in the Mekong Delta region, namely An Giang and Dong Thap. In both of these projects, the enterprise continues to cooperate with Hilton to develop international-brand hotels, thereby expanding the lodging service network in the region.

Mr. Lam Do, Development Director of Hilton Vietnam, said that the Mekong Delta has been a market in Hilton’s expansion plans for many years. However, it is only at this stage, when inter-regional transport infrastructure is synchronously invested in and development policies become clearer, that the region meets the conditions to promote a new wave of investment in the hotel and service sectors.

The international hotel brand Hilton Garden Inn is present in Vinh Long. Photo: T&T Group

Besides the Mekong Delta, T&T is also accelerating the development of an integrated urban ecosystem in the gateway area connecting to this region. Located south of Ho Chi Minh City, T&T City Millennia covers an area of over 267 hectares, developed under an integrated mega-urban model that directly connects the economic corridor between the Southeast region and the Mekong Delta.

In addition to housing, the project also adds commercial, service, and urban utility components. Recently, T&T Retail (a member unit of the T&T Group ecosystem) signed a cooperation agreement to develop the Little HongKong commercial complex right inside this urban area, increasing retail, entertainment, and service functions, aiming to form a new trading hub at the gateway to the Mekong Delta.

Although implemented in many localities, T&T’s projects all follow the orientation of integrated urban development, combining housing, international services, and commerce. From T&T City Millennia to projects in Vinh Long, An Giang, and Dong Thap, the enterprise aims to form new growth poles for the Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta is entering a new development phase as a series of expressways, seaports, bridges, and inter-regional connection works are put into operation, gradually expanding the development space. Along with the process of rearranging administrative units and promoting regional linkage, many localities are expected to form new growth poles.

According to experts, as transportation infrastructure is gradually completed, the decisive factor for a locality’s competitiveness lies not only in connectivity but also in building urban centers capable of attracting residents, experts, businesses, and high-quality human resources. A modern urban area needs to integrate living spaces, commerce, services, education, and social utilities simultaneously to create long-term development momentum, rather than just providing housing products.

In this context, many real estate developers are shifting from developing single projects to integrated urban models. This is also the approach that T&T Group is pursuing in the Mekong Delta, combining urban space development with commercial, service, and utility systems to increase utility value and contribute to the region’s urbanization process.