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In his New Year’s letter, President of the Vietnam Association of Architects Phan Dang Son praised the nation’s spirit of renewal and its remarkable strides over the past year, while also acknowledging the contributions of Architecture Magazine and its readers in the fields of planning, architectural works, and research. He emphasized that these achievements have made a timely contribution to the economic, cultural, social, and human development of Vietnam. Welcoming the new spring, he expressed his confidence in the guidance of the Party’s resolutions to build a national architecture that is both increasingly modern and rich in national identity.
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10 SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES OF 2025
A Look Back at a Pivotal Year for the Vietnam Association of Architects
The year 2025 concludes, marking a historic milestone with the 50th anniversary of national unification and also serving as a pivotal year ending the 10th term of the Vietnam Association of Architects (VVA), leading up to the 11th Congress in 2026. Despite major national changes in organizational restructuring and complex natural disasters, the VVA has steadfastly implemented professionally-focused programs, leaving a profound impact. Let’s review the 10 significant events of the VVA that have sketched the portrait of Vietnamese architecture over the past year.
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Architecture Magazine in 2025: From an Academic Forum to a Bridge for International Knowledge
In 2025, Architecture Magazine continued to affirm its role as the official voice of the Vietnam Association of Architects, while also expanding its influence as a profound academic forum for the architectural community. From in-depth features across 12 issues to co-organizing the announcement of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026 framework, sponsoring specialized forums, and organizing delegations to international events, the Magazine has helped shape the key issues of Vietnamese architecture during a year of transformation. We are pleased to present this review to our readers.
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“Autumn Meeting 2025: Architecture for Health”: From an Academic Forum to a Professional Orientation
Anh Duong
At the Autumn Meeting 2025 seminar, the theme “Architecture for Health” was not presented as a mere slogan, but as a professional imperative linked to standards, planning, and design practice. The seminar, organized by the Vietnam Association of Architects on December 27, 2025, in Phu Tho, saw speakers and guests approach the issue of health from multiple scales: the city, the building, and the specific user space.
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The Ideas Competition for Social Housing Design – Towards Sustainable Solutions: From the Profession’s Pioneering Spirit to Practical Solutions and Creative IdeasArchitecture Magazine
In implementing the Prime Minister’s directives in Document No. 120/TB-VPCP dated March 18, 2025, and Document No. 419/TB-VPCP dated August 12, 2025, the “Ideas Competition for Social Housing Design – Towards Sustainable Solutions” was organized by Architecture Magazine, under the direction of the Ministry of Construction and the Vietnam Association of Architects. The competition aimed to seek and select model design ideas for social housing with solutions that prioritize industrialization, modernization, utility, and economy, suitable for the social housing typology.
After more than two months since its launch, by the submission deadline on December 10, 2025, the Organizer had received 69 entries from 59 participating units and individuals. This rich and diverse number of submissions not only demonstrates the competition’s wide reach but also clearly reflects the enthusiastic response, social responsibility, and desire of the professional community to contribute practical solutions.
On December 23-25, 2025, the Jury, comprising experienced core experts from the Ministry of Construction, the Vietnam Association of Architects, and related science and technology sectors, conducted the evaluation and ranking of the entries. The results included: 07 First Prizes, 08 Second Prizes, 08 Third Prizes, and 21 Consolation Prizes (list attached).
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What is the right model for social housing in the context of urbanization in Vietnam?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Việt Huy, Architect – M.Arch. Trần Quốc Việt, Architect
The goal of building at least one million social housing units, as per the Prime Minister’s Decision, is a major policy with significant implications for social welfare and urban development in Vietnam. However, given its unprecedented scale, this program is not just a construction investment challenge but also a strategic decision that will shape the long-term spatial structure of our cities. Based on an analysis of policies, international experience, and the Vietnamese context, this article proposes several guiding principles to orient social housing as an active and positive component of a living city.
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Designing and manufacturing smart furniture for social housing apartments with a circular economy orientation in Vietnam
Dr. Arch. Nguyen Tat Thang
This article aims to research and propose solutions for designing and manufacturing smart furniture for social housing apartments in Vietnam, addressing two major challenges simultaneously: limited floor space and the optimization of production costs through the strict application of circular economy principles. The research establishes a theoretical framework for the circular economy in furniture design, focusing on utilizing waste materials (agricultural by-products, household and construction plastic waste) to replace natural wood and virgin materials. The research methodology includes surveying the specific needs of social housing in Vietnam, analyzing the technical and economic feasibility of domestically produced recycled materials, and developing a multifunctional, modular design model based on Design for Disassembly (DfD) criteria. Furthermore, the application of DfD and a Reverse Supply Chain helps extend product lifespan and enhance end-of-life recyclability, contributing to the promotion of a sustainable circular economy model in Vietnam’s furniture industry.
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Establishing component projects based on the household community model
in the detailed planning for the renovation and reconstruction of old apartment complexes: An illustrative case of the Kim Lien Collective Housing Area, Hanoi
Dr. Pham Dinh Tuyen
Dividing component projects according to the Household Community Model is a practical solution for the detailed planning of the renovation and reconstruction of the Kim Lien Collective Housing Area and its vicinity. This model not only facilitates the preservation of community groups and attracts multiple investors (instead of a single investor for the entire area), but also helps accelerate the planning and implementation process by resolving the bottleneck of conflicting interests between household communities and investors.
On July 16, 2025, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering organized a seminar on “Applying the Household Community Model to Link and Renovate Old Apartment Complexes – An Illustrative Case at the Kim Lien Collective Housing Area, Hanoi.” The seminar was attended by scientists and experts in construction, planning, and architecture, as well as several investors and 10 leaders of household communities from the Kim Lien area. All delegates at the seminar agreed on the practicality and feasibility of establishing component projects based on the Household Community Model for the detailed planning of the renovation and reconstruction of the Kim Lien Collective Housing Area and its vicinity.
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Introducing the Book: “Conservation and Restoration of Wooden Architectural Monuments”
Arch. Le Thanh Vinh
The publication of specialized books like “Conservation and Restoration of Wooden Architectural Monuments” by Dr. Arch. Hoang Dao Cuong is of immense importance, not only for the restoration of monuments but also for other heritage, cultural, and social fields.
The book’s structure reflects a scientific process: Identification – Theory – Solutions – Case Studies. This approach is comprehensive, scholarly, and rigorous, while also being well-suited to the specific context of Vietnam. These are not merely theoretical issues but are closely tied to practical work, with lessons drawn directly from restoration projects that the author and his colleagues have undertaken.
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Architect Frank Lloyd Wright:
“I BELIEVE IN GOD, ONLY I SPELL IT NATURE.”
Arch. Doan Khac Tinh
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 – 1959) was a renowned American architect, born in Richland Center, Wisconsin. In 1895, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts by the University of Wisconsin. His father was a talented orator who was also a pastor, music teacher, and occasional lawyer. On more than one occasion, Frank Lloyd Wright said, “I believe in god, only I spell it nature.” This can be seen as his consistent creative motto. Indeed, everything created by this great American architect holds true to that principle.
