A shell of perforated brickwork and climbing plants encases this concrete office building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, designed by local studio Tropical Space.

Located in the commercial Tan Binh district, the 300-square-metre Premier Office has gridded facades intended to provide occupants with a variety of spatial conditions.

The facades feature a mix of perforated brick walls – some flat and others angled at 45 degrees – as well as areas of steel wire for climbing plants and open, planted balconies.

"With the perforated brick shell, the rotated wall, and the gaps, the Premier Office does not have the feeling of invading the urban space," explained Tropical Space.

Premier Office is also designed in line with Tropical Space's usual design approach, which focuses on prioritising natural light, ventilation and vegetation.

"[We] aspired to create a building that can maximise the performance of natural lighting without being affected by the negative impact of direct sunlight," it explained.

Perforated brickwork also features inside Premier Office, lining a full-height semicircular void that cuts through the centre of all seven floors.

The void, which helps to naturally ventilate the interior, also splits the office into two distinct halves, though they are connected via small link bridges lined by metal balustrades.

On the west side of the building are open-plan workspaces, wrapped by aluminium-framed glass doors and windows that can be opened to allow air through the brickwork.

To the east is a facilities block, containing a staircase, elevator, bathrooms and utility areas, with more private meeting and work areas in the southeastern corner.

"The Premier Office has two opening facades that allow it to make use of natural light and ventilation in order to reduce energy consumption for lighting and cooling the space," explained the studio.

"Meanwhile, empty spaces, trees, light, brick, and even rain can create an openness, stimulate creativity, and regenerate the energy of those working there," it continued.

The brickwork has been left exposed throughout, both internally and externally, complemented by the exposed concrete of the ceilings and structural columns.

Plants, clay bricks and natural ventilation often feature in projects by Tropical Space, such as in a home and coffee shop in Da Nang and a pottery studio featuring a bamboo grid of shelving wrapped in perforated bricks.

The photography is by Trieu Chien.