Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is an embodiment of the invisible woven into the fabric of existence. Its design reflects a poetic dialogue where nature’s abstraction meets architectural form. The undulating lines and textured surfaces echo the silent whispers of the earth, creating a harmonious interplay between light and shadow. This spatial composition blurs the boundaries of the tangible, inviting contemplation of the unseen. Through the use of natural materials and organic forms, the garden becomes a sanctuary of tranquility, mirroring the serene and introspective essence of the divine landscape.
Next project | The AMBIGUITY Space
Next project | Da Dia Reef
Next project | Maison des Marais
Maison des Marais embodies the ethereal dance between the tangible and the intangible. The structure, elevated on stilts, mirrors itself in the serene waters, creating a dialogue with the reflections that blur the boundary between reality and illusion. The thatched roof and wooden textures harmonize with the surrounding marshland, evoking a sense of timelessness and serenity. This architectural poetry captures the essence of nature’s abstraction, where each element, seen and unseen, contributes to a symphony of spatial resonance, reflecting the invisible threads that weave through the fabric of existence.
Next project | CAN GIO EMOTIONAL CITY
The aim is to improve the links between Can Gio and other provinces such as Vung Tau. As the city of Ho Chi Minh gets bigger, more and more infrastructures are needed and the ecology of Can Gio could get damaged. A special emphasis is put on developing the links with nearby beach resort of Vung Tau. First, through a network of speedboats and later with the construction of a tunnel under the sea. While the Jury found the tunnel proposal to be highly arguable, they do acknowledge that the previous approved masterplan does not make enough provision for improving these links. Team 4 made those links a central objective.
Another axis of development displayed by the team is the diversification of tourism activities. These could include walks or boat trips through the mangrove but also farms visits, beach activities and visits to nearby provinces made easily accessible with the new links. A project of reclaiming land to create two artificial islands just off the coast at the eastern and western end was also put forward by the team. These islands would host diverse tourism activities.
These objectives will not be met unless the infrastructure is improved. A system of speed transportation needs to be implemented. It should respect the environment and limit the pollution and it will bring Can Gio closer to nearby development areas. Fresh water needs to be supplied for citizens and tourists. A water collection and recycling system should be used to make better use of a precious resource and to avoid pollution of the water. Construction of eco houses will counter-balance the development of infrastructure. All other means of transport will also be environmentally friendly.
The project aims at enhancing the quality of life of the inhabitants of Can Gio. This will be achieved by retaining the activities of farming, and along the beach and by upgrading them. Locals will be encouraged to join the services, trade and production activities in order to serve the needs of tourism. Local traditional activities will be increased so people who live in the forest or on the beach or river can share their way of life. Many public spaces and associated activities of leisure and entertainment will be created.
The south of Can Gio along the beach will be developed and will pay particular attention to maintain links from the forest to the sea. There will be 6 types of links: an agricultural production axis, a commercial axis, a festival axis, a handicraft village axis, a traditional market axis and a public space axis.
The ultimate goal of this proposal is to enhance people’s senses and emotion, thus creating an ‘emotional city’. Visitors and locals alike will be able to listen to the sound of the forest and to the sound of the beach They will enjoy spectacular views of the sea and of the forest. They will swim and touch the waves or touch the forest. They can smell the air of the sea and discover the complex fragrances of the mangrove. They can taste the local production of seafood from the river or from the sea. Their emotions will be enhanced by the history, the culture and the tradition of Can Gio.
Ho Viet Vinh – Leader Architect, Urban Planner
Pham Phu Cuong – Architect
Nguyen Hong Minh – Architect
Hoang Anh Tu – Architect, Urban Planner
Pham Anh Tuan – Architect, Urban Planner
Nguyen Anh Tuan – Architect, Landscape Architect
Team 4, being composed of Vietnamese professionals only, Leader by Architect Ho Viet Vinh, had very strong insights about the future of Can Gio. It set itself a number of objectives to be achieved through the development of Can Gio. These included the protection of the mangrove, including both the core and transition area, to make full use of the local production activities and to develop them, to protect the water from pollution from the Saigon-Dong Nai river and from the sea.
Team 4 was awarded a special mention by the Workshops of Cergy- Pontoise.
Next project | Zen Garden
Zen garden carries the breath of nature, located in the coniferous forest, receiving the morning sun, immersed in the coolness of the beach. People move in free space without being constrained by position and frame of reference. The displacement no longer depends on the inside, the lower, the high and the low. Heaven and earth, plants, flowers, people become one, each step carries the breath of the pure land.
Next project | The Unveiling of Trịnh Công Sơn’s Sculpture
At 4:30 p.m. on February 28, the Trịnh Công Sơn Park in Gia Hội Ward, Huế City, will host a significant event—the unveiling of a bronze statue of Trịnh Công Sơn, sculpted by the late artist Trương Đình Quế (1939–2016). This bronze statue, weighing 500 kg, stands 170 cm tall, with a width of 230 cm and a depth of 160 cm. Its design exudes a sense of intimacy and familiarity.
The project is the culmination of years of dedication by Mr. Lê Hùng Mạnh from Gia Hòa Company in Ho Chi Minh City. The journey to place a statue in a public space was far from simple, but his passion for commemorating artists didn’t stop there—he dreams of creating similar tributes for other cultural icons, such as the poet Bùi Giáng.
The choice of Trương Đình Quế as the sculptor was deliberate. He was one of Vietnam’s most renowned visual artists, celebrated with numerous national and international accolades. Born in 1939, the same year as Trịnh Công Sơn, Quế graduated from the Gia Định College of Fine Arts in 1960—the very year Trịnh penned his first song, Ướt Mi. This synchronicity in their lives laid the foundation for a deep friendship rooted in a shared passion for art and music, allowing Quế to capture the essence of his lifelong friend with ease.
The statue took a year to complete at Giang Điền Waterfall in Đồng Nai. Reflecting on the creative process, Mr. Mạnh shared, “Trương Đình Quế and I agreed on how Trịnh should be depicted—as you now see him, leaning forward, as if gazing into a book, or perhaps into his own soul. Naturally, we couldn’t forget the ‘companion’ who stayed with him from ‘the day my mother bore me into this life of burden’ to ‘the noon field, where we met and vanished into the void’—his guitar.”
“The image of Trịnh bowing is intentional,” Mạnh explained, “and it aligns with his own lyrics: Cúi xuống. Cho tình dấy lên. Cho da thịt mềm. Cho cơn mặn nồng ngất lịm. Cúi xuống. Cho đời lãng quên. Cho mây trời chìm. Cho đêm mở hội âm thầm.
When designing the statue’s base, we collaborated with architect Hồ Viết Vinh, who envisioned it as an eye—650 cm long, 350 cm wide, and 55 cm high. This symbolic choice reflects Trịnh’s longing for human compassion: Những con mắt trần gian, Xin nguôi vết nhục nhằn. Những con mắt muộn phiền, Xin cấy lại niềm tin. Even when inspired by Bùi Giáng’s poetry, Trịnh expressed hope and tenderness: Con mắt còn lại nhẹ nhàng từ tâm. Nhìn em ra đi lòng em xa vắng. Con mắt còn lại là đêm tối tăm. Con mắt còn lại là đêm nồng nàn.
This collaboration between sculptor Trương Đình Quế and architect Hồ Viết Vinh embodies the essence of Trịnh Công Sơn’s music—where visual art and sound converge in a harmonious message of love and humanity.
Today, as we gather to unveil this statue on Trịnh Công Sơn’s birthday, it is more than a celebration—it is the realization of a dream. With hearts full of love for his music, Mr. Mạnh and his team gift this statue to the city of Huế as a gesture of gratitude.
“With this sincere endeavor,” Mr Lê Hùng Mạnh remarked, “we are grateful for the support from the Huế City authorities and the province of Thừa Thiên-Huế, who have made this possible. Today, as the statue of Trịnh Công Sơn stands in the park bearing his name, we believe it brings joy to millions across the country who remember him. And surely, our gifted musician and his dear friend, sculptor Trương Đình Quế, would be pleased. For in life, they shared many moments of artistic communion, exchanging ideas and toasting to the beauty of creation.”
Next project | Vertical Green Highrise
The high-class Condotel hotel complex creates a connection with the tourist landscape of Cap Saint-Jaques beach, connecting with the coast and surrounding urban public activities, creating an attractive destination for tourists and users. An open space with a variety of services will become a public space where shopping-entertainment-rest and relaxation activities will take place day and night. The complex of 2 towers with 40-storey and 10-storey service podiums with a total usable area of up to 130,000 sq.m will create vibrancy for Cap Saint-Jaques beach city. Active spaces with expansive views of the sea will create a connection between the building and the surrounding beautiful landscape. All functional spaces are open and filled with sunlight, green grass and harmonize with the surrounding sky and deep blue ocean. The system of squares, flower gardens, waterfalls, green walls will create attractiveness for the project.
PROJECT INFO
Type: | Highrise Tower |
Year: | 2016 |
Location: | Cap Saint Jacques |
Team: | Ho Viet Vinh Pham Tu |
Next project | INVISIBLE
The overlapping layers of color create emotional and material depth, symbolizing disintegration and rebirth. The contrast between light and darkness, emphasizes the struggle between hope and suffering, opening up an abstract space rich in philosophical reflections on existence and history.
Các lớp màu chồng lên nhau tạo nên chiều sâu cảm xúc và vật chất, tượng trưng cho sự tan rã và tái sinh. Sự tương phản giữa ánh sáng và bóng tối, nhấn mạnh cuộc đấu tranh giữa hy vọng và đau khổ, mở ra một không gian trừu tượng giàu những suy ngẫm triết học về sự tồn tại và lịch sử.
Next project | VINHHO Studio
Sắc kia ai vắt lên trời,
Ho Viet Vinh
Nửa chìm trong nước,
Nửa phơi nắng vàng.
Next project | Marina Saigon Villa
Lifestyle in marina has its own taste and the lifestyle at Marina Saigon Villa is special in the way you enjoy your own life. Even if you’ve never owned a yacht, you’ll easily join the club of hobby-loving descendants of nineteenth-century European aristocrats. Starting from the Marina with sparkling turquoise sails at the place of every villa, you manually control the yacht to satisfy conquering emotional moments.
Every time you step on the yacht, you will understand that time is never an issue for you to come to the trading center and stock exchange right in the heart of Saigon Trade Center.
- After a few minutes on the yacht, you have touched your favorite golf club.
- About 30 minutes to cross the Saigon River to enjoy the fresh air in Can Gio Unesco Biosphere Reserved and only that much time to go upstream to Cu Chi tunnels or anywhere you want to go.
- Discover the beauty of the landscape of the vast river and sky.
PROJECT INFO
Type: | Residential |
Year: | 2015 |
Area: | 20 hectares |
Location: | District 2, Ho Chi Minh City |
Team: | Ho Viet Vinh Tran Thanh Hai Nguyen Dinh Nhat Thu Truong Anh Thu |