Phu Doan Plaza, located at the Thua Thien Hue Provincial People’s Committee (also known as City Hall), is a vibrant and modern interpretation of Hue’s identity as an ancient capital. Today, the plaza serves as an inclusive outdoor hub of Hue’s cultural and social life, but this was not always the case.
Before its renovation, the plaza was an uninviting and inaccessible space, characterized by uneven terraces, hidden passageways, and neglected trees. The transformation elevated the park—both literally and symbolically—to match its prominent location at the foot of Hue City Hall.
The plaza now offers universal accessibility by leveling the entire site to meet the street, encouraging activity throughout the day. It features a spacious lawn, an interactive fountain, a café, and ample seating amid green groves of native plants such as Bombax ceiba (cây gạo), Borassus flabellifer (cây thốt nốt), Laurus nobilis (cây nguyệt quế), Cinnamomum camphora (cây long não). Built atop Hue City Center’s multi-modal transit hub, it acts as a gateway connecting all neighborhoods.
Covering 8,190 square meters, the plaza provides a welcoming, all-season destination for relaxation and public recreation.

Type
Landscape design
Year
2020
Location
Hue city, Vietnam
Team
Ho Viet Vinh
Ngo Hai Tan
Duong Thi Thanh Thanh
Nguyen Dinh Nhat Thu

The waterscape of the living complex in the Mekong Delta beautifully embodies the harmony between architecture and nature. Drawing inspiration from the region’s rich waterway traditions, the design integrates fluid forms and organic materials that reflect the surrounding landscapes. The layout, with its interconnected waterways and lush greenery, fosters a sense of tranquility and connection to the environment. Each villa, positioned to maximize views of the water, invites natural light and breezes, enhancing the sensory experience. This approach not only celebrates local culture but also promotes sustainable living, making the project a poignant example of emotional architecture in contemporary design.

“A delicate symphony of muted hues pirouettes in the ever-changing light. Its dance mirroring the soul’s ebb and flow, serving as a melancholic ode to time’s fleeting passage and life’s ephemeral beauty: a poignant reflection of existential drift.”

Ho Viet Vinh

“This is a project to preserve and develop the Mang Thit traditional brick and masonry heritage area, combining production space and water landscape. This area is planned into a contemporary product with different functional layers: preserving ceramic tile craft villages, expanding living space along the river and recreating the unique river landscape of the South. The multi-level dike approach helps maintain riverside living space, supports ceramic production and also develops eco-tourism, turning the area into a cultural and experiential destination for visitors.”

HVV Architect & Partners

Client:
Board of Civil and Industrial Construction Project Management – Vinh Long province People’ s Committee
Location:
Mang Thit dictrist, Vinh Long province, Vietnam
Size:
3.060 hectares
Services:
Masterplan
Status:
Approved on 2024
Team:
HVV Architect & Partners –  Urban Planning Institute

Intro
Mang Thit District, Vinh Long Province, is one of the few remaining localities in Vietnam that preserves a unique and extensive architectural complex alongside a traditional craft. This architectural ensemble comprises nearly 1,000 domed kilns, spanning over 3,060 hectares along the banks of the Thay Cai, Hoa My, Cai Nhum canals, forming a southern arc that extends to the Nhon Phu and Hoa Tinh canals within the district. This is truly a valuable treasure, shaped by over a century of cultural and technological exchange between Khmer, Kinh, and Hoa people, resulting in a distinctive architectural heritage and traditional craft. However, this treasure has not been fully recognized or appreciated.
Over the past decade, more than 1,000 kilns have been demolished, and the remaining kilns are deteriorating and face the imminent threat of complete destruction. Given this alarming situation, it is imperative and urgent to conduct research and develop solutions to preserve and promote this architectural complex and traditional craft.

Learning from the Past and Looking to the Future

Over 100 years of formation and development, the structure of the craft village ecological system have established with 6 main space, including: surface water, brickyard system, yards, storage, fruite garden and house, fields.

The system of canals and land has formed a distinctive, easily recognizable landscape. Rivers and canals flowing from Co Chien River along Thay Cai canal, going deep into agricultural areas, have determined the main landscape axes; Residents live along the canals, inside are fruit and vegetable gardens, and deeper are fields and aquaculture areas. The ecosystem associated with the brick kiln area has created a closed process in the production of Mang Thit red ceramic. This is a characteristic and value that needs to be preserved and promoted.

Adaptive conservation in continued development

Adaptive conservation in continued development – preserving the existence of production space heritage, symbiotic ecological space, and Southern garden development cultural heritage; These valuable materials and spiritual values ​​have been perfected during the development process, providing a contemporary breath and improving the quality of each space, gradually improving the quality of life of local people, so that their politics will gradually transform, reviving the soul of the place.
The heritage of Mang Thit – known as The Red Kingdom will be an interesting destination in Mekong Delta and should not be missed in your lifetime.

Zonning plan

No.1. Mixed-Use Development (Services – Tourism – Rural Residential): Approximately 347.91 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, mixed-use development (tourism services – rural residential), mixed-use development (services – urban residential), public services, public utility green spaces, specialized green spaces, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.2. Mixed-Use Development (Services – Urban Residential) along Co Chien River: Approximately 250.05 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, mixed-use development (services – urban residential), public services, public utility green spaces, specialized green spaces, heritage and religious sites, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.3.  My An – Hoa My Residential Area: Approximately 415.50 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, mixed-use development (services – urban residential), public services, public utility green spaces, specialized green spaces, heritage and religious sites, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.4. Cai Nhum Eco-Residential Area: Approximately 150.31 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, public services, public utility green spaces, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.5. My Phuoc Eco-Resort: Approximately 106.43 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, public services, public utility green spaces, tourism development, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.6.  My Phuoc Eco-Residential Area: Approximately 253.76 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, public services, public utility green spaces, specialized green spaces, heritage and religious sites, offices, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.7. Nhon Phu Eco-Residential Area: Approximately 309.78 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, public services, public utility green spaces, heritage and religious sites, offices, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.8. Hoa Tinh Eco-Resort: Approximately 198.23 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, mixed-use development (services – urban residential), public services, public utility green spaces, heritage and religious sites, offices, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

No.9. High-Tech Agriculture Area: Approximately 1,028.03 hectares, with primary functions including residential development, public utility green spaces, tourism development, other technical infrastructure, transportation, agricultural areas, and other functions.

Master plan

The plan identifies 3 main development axes including:

• Mang Thit brick and ceramic kiln space at the center combined with service corridor along Co Chien river, agricultural experience corridor – traditional garden village along Cai Nhum river, high-end resort tourism corridor in the South;
• Mixed service axis – contemporary residential area in the Southern region of the West;
• The Eastern resort tourism axis will create motivation for development of the entire region.

The resort spaces around heritage area (My Phuoc eco resort, My Phuoc Eco-Residential area, Nhon Phu Eco-Residential Area, Hoa Tinh Eco-Resort) offer a variety of ecological, cultural and agricultural production experiences, taking the ceramic brick kiln area as inspiration for creativity.

With 5 gateways – 5 landscape architectural spaces typical of the Southern rivers and the ceramic brick kiln area, it will be an unforgettable, impressive identification point when visitors approach the ceramic brick kiln area by both Water transport and road transport.

Conclusion

This is a project to preserve and develop the Mang Thit traditional brick and masonry heritage area, combining production space and water landscape. This area is planned into a contemporary product with different functional layers: preserving ceramic tile craft villages, expanding living space along the river and recreating the unique river landscape of the South. The multi-level dike and heritage landscape approach helps maintain riverside living space, supports ceramic production and also develops eco-tourism, turning the area into a cultural and experiential destination for visitors.

“A silent ode to the beauty of existence, portraying the sublime interplay of light and shadow that dances within the human soul. It is an invitation to wander through the corridors of one’s own soul, amidst the rain of introspection and the elusive sunsets of desires.”

Ho Viet Vinh

Có những điều thoạt nghe thấy trái ngược nhưng khi ngẫm cho thật kỹ thì ta thấy chí lý vô cùng. Người thông thái khuyên ta rằng:

“Đừng nói gì trừ khi bạn đã học được cách im lặng.”

Điều này có nghĩa rằng nếu bạn chưa đủ thời gian để nghĩ suy thật sâu, thật tường tận vấn đề thì lời nói sẽ hời hợt, nông cạn và thiếu sức thuyết phục. Trong ngạn ngữ Việt cũng có câu: “uốn lưỡi bảy lần trước khi nói” là vậy! Cuộc sống gấp gáp, nhịp đập cuồng quay tác động làm cho ta cũng đảo điên theo sự trôi lăn.
Vậy im lặng là ngồi im mặc cho cuộc đời kéo trôi hay sao?
Không hề!
Diễn dịch theo ngôn ngữ đạo là “im lặng hùng tráng”, tịnh khẩu để thân tâm tập trung khai mở năng lượng tuệ, chiếu kiến để thấu đạt vấn đề. Sau khi quán được bản chất sự vật, hiện tượng ta sẽ dễ dàng hiểu và minh giải được căn nguyên của nó. Từ đó ngôn từ của ta sẽ chuyên chở được đầy đủ thể, tướng và dụng để lời nói trở nên có phẩm chất. Ông bà ta thường chê những lời nói “sáo rỗng” nghĩa là không có phẩm chất, chỉ là đùa vui vậy thôi.
Để im lặng đạt đến sự hùng tráng mà không phải câm lặng là cả một quá trình tu thân và hiểu đạo. Người tu thân phải buông bỏ được tà kiến để thấy được tánh không của vạn pháp mà ngay cả thân và tâm ta cũng do duyên hợp nên bản tánh là không, giả danh và hư dối.
Thấy được như vậy thì ta sẽ hoà làm một với vấn đề mà ta muốn biết nên ta sẽ hiểu nó như nó đã là. Khi đó ta sẽ thông đạt thực tướng để nói những điều nên nói và những điều nên im lặng.

Hồ Viết Vinh.15012026

For generations, the wood carving craftsmanship of Hue carpenters has been etched into history. Intricate embossed patterns on armrests, beams, arches, and panels reveal the profound artistry embedded within each wood grain.
The touch of the craftsman is incredibly refined. As the chisel glides along the wood grain to remove the excess, the shapes of phoenixes, flowers, and leaves emerge, filling the void with intricate beauty. The wooden panels are not merely decorative; the dual framing system creates overlapping layers, adding spatial depth and transforming physical boundaries into the perception of infinity.
These exquisite carvings have elevated Hue’s palaces, temples, pavilions, mausoleums, and traditional homes beyond mere material structures to the realm of emotional art. This mastery has earned them recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage.
The pride lies in the soul delicately carved by talented artisans from across the nation, each seeking to present their finest beauty to the Buddhas, Kings, and Ancestors.

Type
Garden house
Year
2012
Location
Thu Duc city
Team
Ho Viet Vinh
Duong Dinh Vinh

Tuyên ngôn năm 2026 – “HVV Architect & Partners tin rằng kiến trúc không bắt đầu từ hình khối, mà bắt đầu từ bầu không khí.”

Một không gian chỉ thực sự có giá trị khi nó chạm đến ký ức, văn hoá và chiều sâu nội tâm của con người.”
Chúng tôi theo đuổi một con đường rõ ràng: chạm đến tính bản địa và cá nhân hoá cho từng chi tiết thiết kế để tạo nên sự hoà quyện giữa truyền thống và đương đại.

1. Kiến trúc là sự lắng nghe vùng đất

Mỗi công trình khởi đi từ địa tầng ký ức: khí hậu, ánh sáng, vật liệu, tập quán, nghề thủ công, nhịp sống.
Chúng tôi không sao chép truyền thống. Chúng tôi giải mã tinh thần của nó. Bản địa không phải là hình thức lặp lại, mà là sự tiếp nối của năng lượng nơi chốn trong một hình thái mới.

2. Cá nhân hoá là đạo đức thiết kế

Mỗi khách hàng là một thế giới riêng. Chúng tôi không tạo ra “mẫu nhà đẹp” lặp lại, mà kiến tạo những không gian phản chiếu cá tính, lối sống và khát vọng sống. Cá nhân hoá không dừng ở mặt bằng hay công năng, mà đi vào chi tiết vật liệu, ánh sáng, tỷ lệ, nhịp điệu không gian. Kiến trúc, vì thế, trở thành một chân dung sống.

3. Truyền thống và đương đại không đối lập

Chúng tôi không nhìn truyền thống như quá khứ, cũng không xem đương đại là sự đoạn tuyệt với quá khứ. Truyền thống là chiều sâu. Đương đại là nhịp thở. Khi hai dòng chảy ấy gặp nhau,một bầu không khí mới được sinh ra vừa quen thuộc, vừa khai mở.

4. Kiến trúc – Hội hoạ – Điêu khắc – Thi ca

HVV Architect & Partners vận hành trên bốn không gian:

• Không gian ở: Kiến trúc
• Không gian nhìn: Hội hoạ
• Không gian chạm: Điêu khắc
• Không gian trong tâm thức: Thi ca

Chúng tôi tin rằng một công trình chỉ hoàn chỉnh khi nó đồng thời chạm vào thân thể và tâm hồn.

5. Bản chất trước hiệu ứng

Chúng tôi không chạy theo hình ảnh gây ấn tượng tức thời. Chúng tôi đi tìm bản chất. Cái cơ bản nếu được thực hiện đến tận cùng sẽ tạo nên sự bền vững và sang trọng thực sự. Sự giản lược, khi đúng chỗ, chính là biểu hiện cao nhất của tinh tế.

6. Kiến trúc như một hành vi hiện sinh

Mỗi công trình là một tuyên ngôn sống. Mỗi dự án là một cuộc đối thoại giữa con người và thời đại.
Trong một thế giới ồn ào và đồng dạng, chúng tôi chọn con đường lặng lẽ nhưng sâu sắc: Kiến tạo những không gian có linh hồn.

HVV Architect & Partners theo đuổi tinh thần Kiến trúc thi ca (Poetry of Architecture): Chạm đến bản địa; Tôn vinh cá tính; Kiến tạo bầu không khí sống.

An Article by Architect Ho Viet Vinh
(Mang Thit 16/11/2024)

Mang Thit – where brick kilns tell stories, where rivers light up Vietnam’s heritage.

A Journey of Riverside Culture and Traditional Craft
Mang Thit – more than just a name, it is the pulse of a riverside culture unique to the Mekong Delta. Inspired by the legendary Thay Cai Canal, where the nearly century-old brick and ceramic craft village flourished, the stage for the 2024 Mang Thit Brick and Ceramic Festival promises to be a creative symbol, not only preserving but also spreading the values of tradition.

1. A Floating Stage on the River – A Symbol of Harmony Between Culture and Nature
Imagine a stage designed as a living painting on water, where wooden boats adorned with shimmering lights drift gently, carrying the echoes of time and life. The main stage is not merely a place for performances but a “creative island” floating on the canal, pulsating as the heart of nature.
On the stage, the iconic imagery of traditional brick kilns will be reimagined through a blend of lighting and materials, creating a space that feels both familiar and magical. The arches of red bricks – a signature of Mang Thit – will be crafted as gateways to a journey of cultural discovery while producing dazzling reflections on the water’s surface.

2. Dynamic Living Scenes – When Riverside Life Becomes Art
Beyond being a static stage, the festival elevates its appeal with vibrant, living scenes performed directly on the river. Boats loaded with red-fired bricks, artistic ceramics, and baskets of orchard fruits will become part of the performance – telling the story of diligent, skillful locals.
The audience will not just watch but feel immersed in the flow of life during the craft village’s heyday. Cultural performances such as traditional opera, southern folk music, or ceramic dance displays will unfold on vividly decorated boats, gracefully moving across the water.

3. Lighting – A Language of Timeless Emotion
Lighting is the soul of the festival. The entire event space will be enveloped in modern artistic lighting, seamlessly blending with natural light reflections on the water. Multicolored laser effects will not only create a mystical atmosphere but also convey the theme of harmony between tradition and modernity.
Light beams will sketch the iconic brick kilns glowing against the night sky, while floating lanterns released on the river will symbolize hope, gratitude, and pride for Mang Thit’s traditional brick and ceramic craft.

4. Explosive Media Impact – Bringing Mang Thit to the World
This festival is not just a local event but an opportunity to showcase Mang Thit on a larger scale. Every corner of the stage, every captured moment from the festival will be a unique work of art – ready to “go viral” on social media. Images of sparkling lights, vibrant boats, and lively performances will make anyone yearn to visit Mang Thit.

5. Conclusion – A Journey of Heritage in a New Era
The 2024 Mang Thit Brick and Ceramic Festival is not just a cultural celebration but a powerful message about the resilience of heritage and the aspiration to rise in a modern age. Come to Mang Thit to experience the beauty of its rivers, its craft villages, and its genuine people. This is not just an opportunity to explore but also a chance for everyone to rediscover a part of their roots in every brick, every smile, and every melody echoing from the rivers.

Let’s join hands to promote Mang Thit – the cultural gem of the Mekong Delta – to proudly thrive on the cultural map of Vietnam and the world!