What makes a space truly sustainable?

While the world rushes to “greenify” workspaces in a frenzy of marketing campaigns, Toong has been quietly cultivating sustainable design principles for over a decade. Here, “green” isn’t a thin veneer of branding – it’s a design language that runs deep. Discarded materials are reborn with new purpose, plants aren’t mere decoration but living inhabitants, and people rediscover their natural rhythm amid the chaos of modern work.

Recreate: When waste finds new life

Toong’s approach to sustainability doesn’t start with catalogues of certified timber or eco-friendly paint swatches. It begins with conversations—with materials society has written off as worthless.

Walk into Toong IPH and you’ll encounter “Nảy Mầm” (Sprouting) – an art installation woven from rush grass from Xuân Dục village in Nam Định, repurposed balloons, discarded plastic bottles, and recycled steel frames. These disparate fragments are intricately interlaced to form the silhouette of a seedling reaching towards light. This isn’t just recycled art – it’s a manifesto: sustainable beauty can bloom from what’s been forgotten.

Toong believes workspaces should care for people. And caring, here, means creating a stage where everything—even materials—gets a chance to shine. Rather than imposing recycling as rigid moral duty, Toong sees it as aesthetic evolution. Like people, materials can be brilliant when placed right and nurtured properly.

Preserve: When nature meets art

But “green” isn’t only about giving waste a second life. It’s also about honouring what’s pure and untouched in nature.

At Toong 126 Minh Khai, works by Nôi Studio exist as “the quiet rhythm of forest, stone, and wood”. Amid the relentless churn of deadlines and meetings, they become pockets of calm – gentle reminders to breathe deep and feel nature’s tenderness.

Supporting and showcasing these works is how Toong affirms that “green” is a creative ecosystem – one that honours and uplifts communities building sustainable value together. This is the “green” of conservation, of timeless, enduring beauty.

Breathe: When plants become residents

What sets Toong apart isn’t how many plants it has, but how those plants coexist with people.

A bonsai banyan spreads its roots beneath a skylight, delicate tendrils like invisible threads connecting office to forest. Pothos vines in the communal corner silently purify air after intense brainstorming sessions. Plants here truly “live” – softening harsh architectural lines, creating breathable atmosphere for long working days.

Toong spaces are designed to breathe naturally: daylight floods every corner, open ventilation systems circulate air, materials are environmentally sound, and the rhythm balances energy with stillness.

Research by Lee, Kim & Kweon (2019) shows office greenery reduces stress by 15% and boosts concentration by 11%. Harvard’s Healthy Buildings Report (2022) proves biophilic offices cut fatigue by 37% and sick leave by 15%. These aren’t just dry statistics – they reflect Toong’s philosophy: every square metre has its own breath, where architecture, people, and nature merge into one organism.

Greenwashing vs. Green Living: The line of authenticity

Greenwashing makes instant impressions, but real sustainability comes from lasting value: Does this space genuinely make people healthier, more creative, more committed to their work each day?

Sticking plants in corners for aesthetics is easy. Making them truly breathe, truly contribute to living energy – that requires ecosystem thinking. Similarly, recycling isn’t just “reusing old stuff” – it’s telling a story about legacy, innovation, and environmental compassion.

That’s precisely the journey Toong has pursued for a decade: transforming each workspace into a harmonious whole where architecture and nature pulse together, inspiring those who create the future.

References:

• Deloitte Global. (2023). Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2023: Sustaining the Future. Deloitte Insights.

• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2022). Healthy Buildings Report. Harvard University.

• Lee, S. Y., Kim, J., & Kweon, B. S. (2019). The restorative effects of indoor plants on stress and attention in office workers. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 64, 101–115.

• McKinsey & Company. (2024). The State of Well-being at Work in Asia-Pacific. McKinsey Insights.

• World Green Building Council. (2023). Aesthetic vs. Functional Sustainability in Green Buildings. WorldGBC Publications.