Ho Chi Minh City, 8 July 2022 – “Inspiring”, “Educational”, “Evocative”. These were just some of the impressions visitors had of the artworks from the Green Sculpture Competition and Exhibition which were on display from 1 to 7 July 2022 at the Estella Place shopping mall in Thu Duc City.

The Green Sculpture Competition and Exhibition was organised by Keppel Land in support of the Plastic Free July global movement and in conjunction with Keppel Land Vietnam’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The event sought to highlight the importance of environmental protection and promote climate action through the creation of unique sculptural artworks from recycled materials.

Participants of the Green Sculpture Competition were tasked to create sculptural artworks with recycled materials, including plastic waste, based on the themes of plastic pollution and environmental protection. The competition received close to 60 submissions from more than 100 members of the public including students.

At the awards ceremony on 7 July 2022, “Shackles” was announced as the winner of the competition, and its creator, Three Rs, a team of students from the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City, walked away with the grand prize of VND 20 million. “Shackles” was created using discarded materials including plastic bottles and bottle caps. It depicts a seal entangled in waste, with a chain and plastic wrap around its head and neck.

Tran Tri Minh, the team leader of Three Rs, said, “Winning the first prize at the Green Sculpture Competition is like a dream to us. Through this artwork, we hope to highlight how plastic waste affects marine life and encourage everyone to join hands to work towards a greener, cleaner and more beautiful world – one that is free from the devastating impact of plastic pollution.”

As the winning sculpture, “Shackles” will be replicated using residual building materials and installed at Saigon Sports City, a smart and sustainable township being developed by Keppel Land and Keppel Urban Solutions in Ho Chi Minh City.

In line with Keppel’s Vision 2030, Keppel Land has placed sustainability at the core of its strategy. The company’s proactive and holistic approach towards sustainability includes organising eco-conscious initiatives such as the Green Sculpture Competition and Exhibition, where it seeks to raise awareness of the need for environmental protection.

Mr Lee Leong Seng, General Director of Saigon Sports City Company Limited, presenting the award to the winner of the Green Sculpture Competition.

The winning artwork, “Shackles”, was created by a team of students from the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City using discarded materials such as plastic bottles and bottle caps.

Keppel Land’s representatives, members of the judging panel and the finalists of the Green Sculpture Competition at the closing ceremony.