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

Project:
U Minh Thuong National Forest Ecological Experience Area
Location:
U Minh Thuong district, Kien Giang province
Area:
19,819 hectares
Services:
Urban planning, Architecture, Interior
Status:
Approved the detailed planning project at scale 1/500, 2019
Approved the project investment for the construction, 2020
Under construction
Team:
HVV architect and partners – CREA

Characteristics
This is the former Provincial Party Committee Headquarter during the anti-American war, aimed at educating younger generations about revolutionary traditions and honoring the ecological and aesthetic values of U Minh Thuong National Forest in Kien Giang Province.

Design Principles

1. Respect the existing landscape characteristics while creating diverse spatial arrangements to accommodate the various functions of the overall project.
2. Inherit the cultural heritage values of Southern Vietnam through the development of a resort area that harmonizes local cultural elements with the natural landscape.
3. Ensure vibrancy throughout the overall spatial design, maintaining solemnity in the central area while providing privacy and seclusion for functional areas such as eco-experience resorts, recreational areas, and spaces for outdoor activities reflecting Southern Vietnamese lifestyles.
4. Protect the environmental landscape by preserving the existing ecological scenery, employing on-site earthworks, and utilizing local materials.

Vertical Green Highrise
The high-class Condotel hotel complex seamlessly integrates with the scenic landscape of Cap Saint-Jacques beach, connecting the coast with surrounding urban public activities to create an alluring destination for tourists and residents alike.

This open space, offering a variety of services, will serve as a vibrant public hub where shopping, entertainment, relaxation, and leisure activities take place around. The complex, consisting of two towers—one 40 stories tall and the other 10 stories with service podiums—spans a total usable area of 130,000 square meters, adding energy and dynamism to Cap Saint-Jacques beach city.

The active spaces, featuring panoramic sea views, foster a harmonious connection between the buildings and the stunning surrounding landscape. All functional areas are designed to be open, filled with natural light, greenery, and a sense of unity with the blue sky and deep ocean. A system of plazas, flower gardens, cascading waterfalls, and vertical green walls enhances the project’s appeal, creating a unique and inviting environment.

In the bustling urban rhythm of Phan Xich Long’s vibrant food street, Vinhho Art Studio, the sanctuary of self training – painter Ho Viet Vinh, nestles quietly in a small alley typical of Saigon. The surrounding air hums with the everyday sounds of urban life and the rich aromas of street food delicacies.

Inside the compact studio where the artist crafts his paintings, everything appears orderly. The space is adorned with a variety of experimental works, each reflecting his diverse artistic journey. At the center of the room stands an old, slightly tilted wooden easel, holding an unfinished painting. The bold and uninhibited strokes on the canvas mirror the essence of the artist himself.

For those fortunate enough to explore the evolution of Vinhho’s artistry from his earliest days, each painting tells a distinct story, conveying profound messages about life, humanity, and especially nature. Through his brushstrokes, Ho Viet Vinh channels the most authentic emotions, inviting viewers to share in his perspective.

While the city outside thrums with its noisy, dynamic energy, this small studio offers a serene haven – a private world where Ho Viet Vinh and his collaborators dedicate themselves to crafting works of art that contribute to celebrating the breathtaking beauty and wonder of Vietnam.

The program “Unlimited Connections – Building a City of Light” broadcast on HTV9 provides a comprehensive perspective on the role of lighting in shaping modern and sustainable urban areas.

The story of Saigon’s light—an essential element of life and culture—has been shaped by its tropical climate and a distinctive “nightlife” culture since the city’s earliest days. Lighting not only ensures the safety of living and working spaces but also contributes to the aesthetics and prominence of modern urban architecture. However, uncontrolled use of lighting can lead to energy waste and environmental pollution. The program emphasizes the importance of smart lighting that is appropriate, sufficient, and aesthetically pleasing while minimizing light pollution, aiming to enhance overall visual harmony with the surrounding space. Building a city of light that is exemplary, harmonious, and rich in identity is a collective effort—to make the city brighter, more beautiful, and increasingly civilized.

Urban lighting is not merely about beautification; it also fosters a sense of comfort and relaxation, drawing residents into the city’s nighttime activities, thereby making the urban environment more vibrant and dynamic.

Architect Hồ Viết Vinh

We invite you to watch the program to explore the role of lighting in building smart, modern, and sustainable cities.

FRAGILITY

“A sea of swirling blue, evokes the tempestuous depths of the soul, adrift in a world of fleeting beauty and despair. The stark white, a beacon of hope, struggles against the relentless tide of azure, a poignant reminder of the fragility of human existence.”

Ho Viet Vinh