The Wink concept sees AW² move towards a new architectural typology in the hospitality realm – the medium-rise urban hotel. The Wink brand is directly born out of the evolution that the hotel industry is currently undergoing. Wink brings us into this new era with its pop culture energy and blended spaces where accommodation, work and leisure cohabit.

This twenty-first century hospitality product is targeted at a new generation of traveller, one that is constantly connected and seeking a hotel experience that rhymes with their epoque. The Wink brand has been designed by AW² to attract this new hotel clientele. The medium- to high-rise hotel has come a long way since New York’s skyline was first composed in the first half of the twentieth century, however the principles are timeless: a symbol of modernity, an urban landmark. Here, at Wink Hotel Saigon Centre – the first Wink-branded hotel to be constructed, and the first LEED Gold certified hotel in Vietnam – the expressive, colourful facades act as a beacon for its strategically located position on a corner site in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

The Wink hotels are fashionable urban destinations where the next generation of influencers will go to stay, have a drink, enjoy Vietnamese cuisine or simply use their laptops in the coworking spaces. The project brings Vietnamese street life into the lobby and public areas of the hotel with street life-inspired furniture designed by AW² and an interior design that resonates with the outside urban environment. A specific colour palette has been created for the brand by AW² and can be found throughout the hotel – from the scale of the bespoke cushion fabrics to the sunshades on the facades.

The 237 hotel rooms have been laid out over eleven floors. They are conceived to be efficient in space requirements, modern, creative pods that provide the guests with all comforts in a stylish, minimalist setting. Overall, the project focuses on creating a balance between design forwardness, financial return and construction feasibility. In this way, the Wink brand is a contrast of traditional style with modern forward-thinking originality. It aims to deliver vibrant, innovative experiences for all its guests and users. The Wink brand is the transmission of AW²’s savoir-faire in resort architecture to an urban context and will roll out across Vietnam over several sites in the years to come.