1. Introduction to Tam Thang Square
1.1. Location and Overview
Tam Thang Square is located at Bai Sau – one of Vung Tau's most famous beaches, directly adjacent to Thuy Van street, convenient for both locals and tourists. With a vast area of over 16,700 m², the Square offers a spacious open area where people can stroll, relax, participate in outdoor activities, or organize community events. The smart design of the square seamlessly connects the sea, the street, and the surrounding areas, while also providing a wide view of Bai Sau beach – a prominent highlight of Vung Tau.
1.2. Significance and Symbolism
New check-in spot in Vung Tau attracting locals and tourists every day (Source: Collected)
More than just a public work, the Tam Thang Square Design is a modern architectural symbol of the coastal city of Vung Tau. The center of the square is Tam Thang Tower, inspired by the three ancient villages of Thang Nhat, Thang Nhi, and Thang Tam, symbolizing the locality's aspiration to reach out to the sea and sustainable development. The square has quickly become a famous check-in spot, attracting tourists of all ages, while also serving as a community space for festivals, cultural events, and outdoor entertainment activities. Thanks to the Tam Thang Square Design, this place is not only a tourist destination but also a modern architectural and cultural landmark of Vung Tau.
2. Project Formation Process
Tam Thang Square was initiated at the end of 2024, as part of the plan to renovate the Bai Sau coastal area, one of Vung Tau's most vibrant tourist and entertainment destinations. The project is considered one of the key works aimed at enhancing the urban coastal landscape and creating a modern architectural imprint for the city.
The construction progress of the project was remarkably rapid. In just 75 days from the time of piling, the reinforced concrete piles of Tam Thang Tower were completed, consisting of 143 piles, creating a unique form that is both sturdy and graceful. The timely completion allowed the project to be put into use on the National Day holiday, September 2, 2025, attracting the attention of locals, tourists, and the architecture community.
Tam Thang Square during the 80th anniversary of National Day (02/09/2025) (Source: Collected)
The entire Tam Thang Square project has a total area of approximately 23,400 m², including:
Main Square: an open space with terraced steps, granite paved walkways, spacious for strolling, relaxation, and outdoor events.
Tam Thang Tower: the central architectural highlight, 34m high, consisting of three main pillars symbolizing three ancient villages, surrounded by auxiliary pillars, all clad in mosaic and decorated with lighting to create a nighttime effect.
Ancillary areas: green spaces, a fountain, a performance stage, LED lighting system, resting areas, and a check-in space for visitors.
The Tam Thang Square design emphasizes spatial connectivity: from Thuy Van street to the sea, from the square to the walkways, and from the check-in area to Tam Thang Tower. Thanks to the uniformity in construction, from paving stones, landscaping, LED lights to the completion of the outdoor stage, the square is ready to serve residents and visitors immediately after completion.
3. Design Concept for Tam Thang Square
3.1. Cultural & Historical Symbol
The Tam Thang Square design is not just a modern architectural work but also a cultural and historical symbol of Vung Tau. At the center of the square is the Tam Thang Tower, constructed from 143 reinforced concrete pillars, ranging from 4.55m to over 34.25m in height, arranged in increasing elevation towards the sea. The overall tower is inspired by the image of three boat prows reaching high into the vast space, evoking the historical story of the three villages of Thang Nhat, Thang Nhi, and Thang Tam, areas associated with the mission of defending the sea since the time of King Gia Long.
The design of Tam Thang Square carries deeply meaningful historical and cultural values (Source: Collected)
Each pillar symbolizes not only the three ancient villages but also evokes the image of warriors on the Tam Thang boat, standing proudly against storms, affirming the resilient and indomitable spirit of the historical land. The design of the tower, therefore, is both symbolic and tells a vivid historical story, helping the square become a new identity mark for Vung Tau.
3.2. Modern Public Space
Besides its symbolic value, the design of Tam Thang Square aims for a modern, flexible public space that interacts with nature. The square is paved with non-slip granite, combined with steps leading down to Bai Sau beach, providing maximum convenience for tourists, from strolling, taking photos, to participating in outdoor activities.
The visual effect of the Tam Thang tower is enhanced by its mosaic tile cladding, reflecting natural light during the day and LED lights at night. When night falls, the multi-colored LED lighting system transforms the tower into a “forest of light,” creating a magical artistic space, while also highlighting the shapes of the pillars of varying sizes, heights, and depths, creating a vivid visual effect. Each mosaic detail is meticulously crafted to ensure maximum precision and absolute lighting effect.
Close-up of every intricate design detail on the pillars (Source: Collected)
The open space of the square is also reasonably arranged with green trees, resting benches, an outdoor stage, and a fountain, making it easy to organize festivals, art performances, and cultural-entertainment events. Tam Thang Square Design therefore serves as both a prominent check-in point and a center for community activities, offering a multi-dimensional experience for residents and tourists, while also harmonizing with the landscape of Bai Sau beach.
3.3. Architect Oliviero Godi and the international design team
The Tam Thang Square project was designed by Master, Italian Architect Oliviero Godi, a young talent in European architecture, along with an experienced international team of experts. His design proposal was selected through an idea competition for the Tam Thang Square Design sponsored by Sun Group, with the goal of creating a work that possesses both historical-cultural symbolic value, is modern, and harmonizes with the landscape of Bai Sau beach.
The city's architectural council highly appreciated this proposal, emphasizing its ability to combine local cultural elements with modern architectural style, making the Tam Thang Tower a new identity mark for Vung Tau. Concurrently, Sun Group was also approved as the construction sponsor, ensuring the project is built with high quality, precise techniques, and rapid progress, contributing to enhancing the value of the coastal urban area and attracting tourism to the coastal city of Vung Tau.
4. Outstanding Architectural Elements
4.1. Tam Thang Tower
The Tam Thang Tower is the central highlight of the square, standing from 10m to 34.25m tall, comprising 143 reinforced concrete pillars arranged in ascending elevations towards the sea.
Diverse "hot trend" photo angles from Tam Thang Tower (Source: Collected)
The tower's surface is clad with mosaic tiles, combined with a multi-colored LED lighting system, creating a shimmering light effect at night like a vibrant "forest of light". Thanks to its detailed design and construction techniques precise to 0.5 cm, Tam Thang Tower has become a distinctive architectural and artistic symbol of Vung Tau, attracting tourists for check-ins and admiration.
4.2. Square & Walkway
The square is spacious, paved with anti-slip granite and combined with steps leading down to the sea, creating a walking, strolling, and relaxing space for visitors. The Tam Thang Square Design aims for a smooth connection between Tam Thang Tower – the square – and Bai Sau Beach, making it easy for residents and tourists to move around and enjoy the coastal scenery.
Covering a finished area of over 17,000 m², the square also integrates a 5,800 m² musical fountain stage and tiered stages for organizing large-scale events and festivals. A shallow fountain system covering approximately 665 m² is arranged along the roadside, creating a lively, colorful space, contributing to enhancing the visitor experience.
4.3. Observation Point
A special feature of the square is the "Vong Canh Cape" (Observation Cape), about 3.6 m high from the square's surface, offering a beautiful panoramic view of Bai Sau, the sea, and the entire coastal city of Vung Tau. This is an ideal check-in spot, as well as a prominent location for watching sunsets and taking stunning photos.
Below the Vong Canh Cape is a semi-basement area of nearly 450 m², equipped with amenities for visitors such as a cafe, refreshment area, and check-in corners, creating a diverse experience from relaxation and entertainment to sightseeing. This design helps the square become a versatile entertainment – cultural – tourism center in the Bai Sau area.
4.4. Public Amenities & Event Areas
The square is equipped with many modern public amenities:
Outdoor stage: for festivals, art performances, and musical fountains.
Shallow fountains and artistic fountains: creating lively effects, combining light and sound, enhancing the visitor experience.
Children's play area and resting benches: catering to various groups, from families to friends.
LED lighting system: ensuring safety and artistic effects at night, highlighting the architecture of the tower and the entire square.
Thanks to the harmonious combination of Tam Thang Tower, the square, walkways, Vong Canh Cape, and public amenities, the Tam Thang Square Design has become a multifunctional complex, serving as both an architectural symbol and a modern community space, meeting tourism, entertainment, and cultural needs, and creating a new attraction for the coastal city of Vung Tau.
Thanks to the harmonious combination of historical symbols, modern architecture, and public amenities, the Tam Thang Square Design not only enhances the coastal landscape of Bai Sau but also becomes a vibrant cultural – entertainment – tourism hub, contributing to creating a new attraction for Vung Tau and providing memorable experiences for visitors.
