River Saigon, passing through the city of Ho Chi Minh City, has a new addition to its skyline: Landmark 81. Crafted by British architect Atkins and local Vietnamese developer, Vingroup, Landmark 81 symbolizes the economic and construction boom in the city and places Vietnam into the global spotlight. The continuous urban development and renewal symbolizes the oncoming leading economic status of Vietnam across the globe.

Landmark 81’s grand opening has already attracted thousands of visitors. Designed to host hotels, luxury accommodation, observation deck, retail and entertainment facilities, the complex will be a modern paradise of shopping, displaying the most prestigious fashion brands across the world. Foreign brands have envisioned Vietnam as a market for luxury retail as the country’s middle class rises activating a professional local work force. The Boston Consulting Group predicted a 300% middle-income group growth from 2012’s 12 million to 2020’s 33 million. By 2020, Vietnam’s average per capita income will rise from US$1,400 to US$3,400 a year. The shift in money making, spending perspective and willingness to spend big will accelerate the demand for high quality products.

Last year, Knight Frank reported that Vietnam’s wealth growth grew by 320% from 2006 to 2016 and will grow at an another alarming 170% in the next decade. Not only in Landmark 81, but shopping plazas across the country are now decked with fashion  brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci and super-car brands like Porsche and Ferrari. With an economy rising at a high 7- 8% per annum measured by GDP, Vietnam now leads, as the world’s fastest growing nation, which will spark a new age of retail businesses to benefit from this changing dynamicity in the nation’s wealth growth.

The skyscraper, at 81 floors high, will be Southeast Asia’s tallest building, Asia’s 8^th tallest and the world’s 14^th tallest. Inspired by a bamboo cluster to symbolize the unity and prosperity the country has admitted through in the past decades and decorated with an LED system, the breathtaking performance of Landmark 81 will bring a new level of luxury and modernization to the city to parallel its surging economic trajectory.