Spanish-based company Global Architecture Local Office, better known as Galo Architects, on Thursday launched a branch office in HCMC, officially marking its presence in the market with services of architecture and town planning.

Carlos Garcia Lorente, general director of Galo Architects, said that what made the company choose HCMC to set up office in the Asian region was the high potential in the property market here in Vietnam.

Lorente said the Galo Asia office, which is located on Nguyen Van Huong Street in HCMC’s District 2, would facilitate its business as an architecture company, which is active in urban planning, office and apartment building, as well as developing tourism facilities such as hotels, resorts, golf courses and amusement parks among others.

“We are going to make especially town planning and housing, maybe some hotels and resorts but not too much office buildings because it’s a bad moment to invest in this kind of projects due to the world crisis,” Lorente said.

He added Galo Architects last year made a tour to Vietnam to sound out business opportunities and collaboration in future projects with Vietnamese architectural, construction and development companies.

The Spanish architect disclosed that Galo Architects had been asked to search for locations for a Spanish company which is looking for opportunities to develop two hotels in Vietnam's market.