A trail, vanishing into the deepest green at the far end of the Melaleuca forest.
None can tell for certain where it might lead, and yet it holds within itself a most singular charm and mystery.
How delicate is the line between flourishing and decay:
it is there that beauty reveals itself.

“Artists dismiss me as an architect, so I am not in their box, and architects dismiss me as an artist, so I’m not in their box. I don’t know whose box I’m in, and I don’t really care.”
Frank O Gehry

An elegant white tone as the main theme, featuring multi-layered spaces with depth and subtle connections. The space is shaped with soft curves inspired by abstract nature creating a sense of fluidity and natural flow in the architecture. The decorative surfaces of loose furniture are finished with high-quality Vietnamese lacquer techniques. Natural light blends harmoniously with artificial lighting, interacting with materials like glass, lacquer, premium fabrics, and marble, evoking emotional contrasts between light, material, and space. The overall design exudes a contemporary artistic elegence.

“If you don’t know how to relax in the pure land,
A life will pass without ever touching happiness.”

Thay Thich Nhat Hanh

The Zen garden embodies the breath of nature, nestled in a coniferous forest that greets the morning sun and immerses itself in the cool embrace of the beach. Here, people move freely in an open space, unbound by positions or frames of reference.
Movement transcends traditional notions of inside and outside, high and low, creating a seamless unity between heaven and earth, plants, flowers, and people. Each step taken resonates with the essence of the pure land, harmonizing all into a single breath of serenity.

Type
Architecture design, Interior design
Year
2019
Location
Ho Tram, Vietnam
Team
Ho Viet Vinh, Tran Thanh Hai, Tran Thi Thu Ha
Collaborator
Quang Nhat Furniture, RitaVo Company, KOHLER

The interlocking rock columns are arranged naturally,
Shoulder and shoulders depict rapids,
Standing likes the shape of the mountain,
Look down at the waves of the sacred place.

ho viet vinh

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.”

See the original article at this link.

Architecture of each nation evolves and develops along a historical trajectory. Particularly, royal architecture establishes solid foundations refined over time, becoming the formal language through which art thrives. Each dynasty selects its own stylistic language as a benchmark for evaluation and a marker of its era.
The selective inheritance across dynasties shapes the orthodox architectural tradition. This tradition adheres to strict principles of form-making, setting standards that serve as measures of artistic creativity. However, the end of each dynasty invariably signifies adaptations to external influences. Ultimately, the flow of architecture is once again reshaped and renewed, continuing its progression.

Emperor Khai Dinh utilized to infuse a sense of national identity into the architectural and artistic works of the royal court. These projects, executed during the late Nguyen dynasty, reflect a deliberate effort to adapt proactively to the changing circumstances.

Nearly a century later, the art of ceramic mosaic from the Khai Dinh era continues to flourish in temples, pagodas, shrines, and tombs.

To read the full research article below.