Rising from Hanoi’s Co Loa district, the Kim Quy Dome is more than the visual anchor of the Vietnam Exposition Centre; it is a statement of what domestic engineering can achieve on a world scale. Weighing 24,000 tonnes and erected in just five months, the steel dome has set a world record as the largest steel dome structure built entirely using Vietnamese-produced steel.
The development’s architectural language draws inspiration from Xi’an’s famed Terracotta Army, expressed through more than 100,000 handcrafted ceramic tiles cladding façades, columns and beams. While ceramics shape the visual identity, steel provides the structural backbone that allows these sculptural elements to be realised with precision. Curving beams, interlocking frames and elevated walkways rely on steel’s strength and flexibility to achieve the district’s layered geometry.
At the centre of the development stands the Xi’an Tree, a 57-metre-tall vertical park that anchors the public plaza. Its cascading terraces, inspired by ecosystems along the ancient Silk Road, rise through a steel-supported structure that accommodates gardens, circulation paths and viewing platforms.
The district is designed to be experienced at three scales, from a skyline inspired by traditional temple roofs to intricate material details at the pedestrian level. Xi’an CCBD illustrates how steel engineering can quietly underpin ambitious urban design while supporting architecture that celebrates local craft and history.
