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.

Spiritual Sustainability as the Core Essence

For Architect Hồ Viết Vinh, a sustainable structure must encompass multiple dimensions: structural sustainability, environmental sustainability, aesthetic sustainability, and cultural sustainability. Yet, there is one essential, foundational element that underpins them all: spiritual sustainability. One of his upcoming and most cherished projects currently in development is the Trịnh Công Sơn Park in the ancient capital of Huế.

Guided by a philosophy of holistic sustainability, Hồ Viết Vinh has crafted unique architectural works such as Lebadang Memory Space and more recently, the Coral House in Hồ Tràm.

Could you share more about the milestones that have shaped your 25-year career?
I can summarize my more than 25 years of navigating this profession—full of challenges—into four stages: searching, understanding, contemplation, and practice.
The first stage took me around five years. I was seeking a way to survive in this field, with much effort but little clarity beyond earning a living.
The second stage arrived when I realized that architecture demands not only physical effort but also profound intellectual engagement.
The third stage was contemplation—reflecting on the distinct values that drive creativity. This was perhaps the most challenging period. It required me to relinquish things I had painstakingly gathered over time, clearing my mind to make space for the new.
Finally, the fourth stage is practice—not merely following thought processes, but letting intuition and wisdom guide my actions.

Your design philosophy seems inspired by Buddhist thought, correct?
Yes, indeed! The teacher who profoundly influenced my design philosophy is Thích Nhất Hạnh from Làng Mai (Plum Village), with his wisdom of interbeing (tương tức). According to Thích Nhất Hạnh, interbeing means: “If we understand that humans and nature are inseparable, we will know how to treat nature as we would treat ourselves—with care, gentleness, and love, free from violence. If we don’t want to harm ourselves, we should not harm nature, for harming nature is ultimately harming ourselves, and vice versa.”

How do you incorporate the concept of emptiness in your architectural works?
In essence, space is defined by emptiness. Without emptiness, there is no space. We must distinguish between the concepts of empty/full and open/closed. The former refers to spatial density, while the latter concerns the degree of openness to the external environment.
Emptiness is where dialogues unfold—between humans and nature, between individuals, and between oneself and the spiritual realm. It is a void that leads to infinite transformation and change.

What is your perspective on sustainable architecture? What, in your view, is the primary factor that defines sustainability?
When discussing sustainability, we must ask: sustainable in what sense? Is it structural, environmental, aesthetic, or cultural sustainability? Today, most conversations focus on environmental sustainability, as we face the brink of ecological destruction.
In my perspective, a truly sustainable structure must integrate all four aspects, with an additional core foundation: spiritual sustainability. This form of sustainability is rooted in an intuitive understanding of the fundamental truth of life on Earth—harmony, where all beings support one another to coexist.

“Architecture is a part of nature, and thus, it must harmonize with its surroundings. Light, wind, rain, storms, and even insects are all guests of the space.”

Is there a project that best embodies your design philosophy?
That would be the Lebadang Memory Space in Huế. This space is a harmonious blend of three elements: nature, form, and poetry. Nature includes the creations of the Earth—trees, flowers, rivers, skies, stones, humans, and animals. Form is defined by lines, shapes, colors, and materials that shape the space. Poetry is the soul that breathes life into it, creating a space that resonates with both the physical and the spiritual.

The thread that connects natural elements with the crafted form is poetry—a melody that flows from the primordial, carrying with it layers of cultural sediment, merging with the rhythm of life to shape the memory of time.

An Architect who has influenced you?
That would be Peter Zumthor, the renowned Swiss architect known for his famous quote:
“To design buildings that captivate the senses, architects must transcend the limits of form and structure.”

What experience do you consider most important for an architect like yourself?
Architecture came to me as destiny. Therefore, every experience carries its own value—there is no good or bad experience.
However, one pivotal experience stands out as a turning point in my creative journey. In 2005, I had the opportunity to participate in the 8th International Creative Competition organized by Les Ateliers Internationaux de Maitrise d’Oeuvre Urbaine Cergy Pontoise in France.
The competition brought together nearly 40 architects, urban planners, economists, managers, and environmental specialists from 17 countries. The theme was Ecological Tourism Urbanism in Cần Giờ (Can Gio entre ville ecologique et destination touristique).
Our project, titled “The City of Distinct Emotions” made a powerful impression on the jury and won the Special Award.

What is your perspective on materials in architecture? Are you experimenting with any specific materials?
Materials play a vital role in evoking aesthetic emotions within architectural spaces, alongside form and design language. Under the influence of light, these three elements harmonize to create the texture of space.
In my architectural designs, I place particular emphasis on exploring and incorporating local materials. These materials infuse spaces with the spirit of the place, giving them a unique identity and soul.

Could you share more about an upcoming project you are excited about?
A project I hold dear and that is currently being developed in Huế is the Trịnh Công Sơn Park.
Located at the confluence of three rivers, it rests against the Gia Hội Ancient Quarter, gazes upon the Hương River, and looks towards Ngự Bình Mountain as its front shield, with the Kim Phụng Range stretching across the landscape. This harmonious geographical setting provides the perfect foundation for the park in the heart of the ancient capital.
The park spans approximately 6.2 hectares and stretches nearly 1 kilometer along the lower reaches of Hương River, surrounded by water landscapes. Its structure is divided into two main sections: (1) The Space of “The Great Circle of Unity“ (20,000 m²); (2) The Musical Garden Space (42,000 m²).
The Great Circle of Unity is designed around the symbol of the Vietnamese Embrace, forming a double-layered circle representing the Fields of Vietnam. This concept draws inspiration from Trịnh Công Sơn’s musical longing for peace.
At its heart stands the statue of Trịnh Công Sơn, with a poised and serene posture, emerging from the landscape like a mountain standing tall. He becomes a symbol of the nation’s desire for unity, love for humanity, and a reflection on the human condition.
Every step into this space echoes with the uplifting and refreshing melodies of his music. It invites us to connect, hand in hand, forming a unified entity called Vietnam.
The Musical Garden Space, on the other hand, captures the lingering melodies of nature. Here, one can sense the gentle whispers of grass, flowers, birds, and the vibrant life that surrounds us—a symphony of nature’s tender serenade.

See the original article at the link.

Thien An Community Park, Hue symbolizes the exchange process among communities settling in a new land. They bring with them vast knowledge, unique customs, and aspirations to build a life in this new place. The community serves as a space for openness, exchange, learning, and growth. The process of convergence, interaction, and experimentation among these communities has shaped a distinctive character for the culture of the historic ancient capital.

The park recreates the process of community formation through five main spaces:

• Meeting Space
• Exchange Space
• Agglomeration Space
• Experimental Space
• Performance Space

Each space embodies a unique form and function, representing a distinct stage in the process of community and cultural exchange.

“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

The Zen garden embodies the essence of nature, situated within a coniferous forest, where it bathes in the morning sunlight and is immersed in the cool breeze of the nearby beach. Visitors move freely within its open space, unbound by fixed positions or traditional frames of reference.
Movement transcends notions of interior and exterior, high and low. Heaven and earth, plants, flowers, and humans merge into one harmonious whole, where every step resonates with the breath of the pure land.

Êm đềm tựa giọt sương tinh khiết gieo mầm an lành.
Can trường cắm cội rễ sâu bền trước bão lũ.
Hoa trôi nở hương thơm giữa dòng nổi sóng, bờ cỏ lặng lẽ tựa mặt hồ thu.
Hương Giang trở thành ngọn đuốc chánh niệm – vừa tỏa sáng tự thân, vừa soi đường dẫn lối.

Picture architecture in Vietnam and you might imagine ancient temples buried down countryside lanes or faded colonial buildings lining the city streets. But spurred by unprecedented economic growth, this Southeast Asian country of almost 100 million is revamping its traditional image – and architecture is part of the overhaul. After decades spent trying to keep Vietnam’s unrelenting jungles out of the cities, visionary architects now harness the wilderness to enhance their urban creations. And the countryside is no longer designated for relics of the past – but also innovations for the future. From contemporary art hubs hiding in the hills to city tower blocks blooming with foliage, here is the architecture that is making its mark on Vietnam.

Lebadang Memory Space, by Architect Ho Viet Vinh

Nestled in the countryside together with Hue’s centuries-old royal tombs, Lebadang Memory Space is a lively architectural update to the city’s monarchical heritage. This contemporary art museum is dedicated to late local artist Le Ba Dang, who sketched the drawing that the blueprints are based on. Local architect Ho Viet Vinh designed the structure, completed in April 2019, with a central skylight that allows beams of light to track through the exhibition hall throughout the day.

Sky House by MIA Design Studio

Vegetation bulges from the balconies and rooftops of Sky House, a home in Ho Chi Minh City completed in December 2019. The plot was spacious enough to accommodate a large townhouse, but instead of creating unrequired rooms, MIA Design Studio designated half the house to light, wind, water and trees. The result is a generous sky well that feeds light to the habitable rooms and chambers with no practical purpose but to house plants, trees, and indoor ponds.

Chicland, by Vo Trong Nghia

Award-winning architect Vo Trong Nghia is celebrated for his use of natural materials and foliage, such as bamboo and tropical plants. The 21-floor Chicland Hotel, completed in June 2019 in the modern seaside city of Danang, features both. The on-site café has earthy bamboo interiors while the balconies overflow with greenery. Similarly biophilic, Vo Trong Nghia’s Silver Cloud, slated for completion later this year, is a leafy long-stay hotel that blends with the lakes and mountains of Cuc Phuong National Park, 100km south of Hanoi.

Brick Cave, by Doan Thanh Ha

In Vietnam, bricks have been used for at least a millennium. Doan Thanh Ha, who recently won the Turgut Cansever International Award, constructed the Brick Cave in the suburbs of Hanoi with an additional exterior wall to form a narrow atrium around the house. This perforated exterior casing with large windows invites natural light into the family home while keeping it cool during Hanoi’s scorching summers. The rooftop features a vegetable garden.

Central Park, by LAVA and ASPECT Studio

LAVA and ASPECT Studio won the commission to revamp Ho Chi Minh City’s September 23 Park, one of the city centre’s largest green spaces. As well as outdoor art galleries, performance pavilions and sport zones, LAVA and ASPECT Studio are deploying smart city artificial trees. Water purification trees collect and recycle rainwater, ventilation trees provide fresh air and solar trees generate power. Construction is scheduled to begin later in 2020.

VAC Library, by Farming Architects

While large-scale ventures are making a bold impact, smaller innovations are surfacing more quietly. In Hanoi, VAC Library by Farming Architects (Pictured above) is both climbing frame and reading room set within a three-dimensional grid fashioned from wooden beams. Other small projects of great promise include the Chieng Yen Community House in Son La Province by 1+1>2 Architects, which has a semi-cylindrical thatch roof supported by a bamboo frame. In Danang, architecture studio Tropical Space used brick to construct Cuckoo House, a family home perched above a café.

Empire City, by Ole Scheeren

As Vietnam’s commercial capital, Ho Chi Minh City is entertaining many of the country’s most ambitious projects. With Empire City, Ole Scheeren explores how ‘nature can become an iconic element of architecture’ with a complex of three towers overlooking the Saigon River. At the building’s base, layered platforms evoke the swirling rice terraces of northern Vietnam. Over halfway up Empire Tower 88, the tallest of the three skyscrapers at 333 metres, sits the Sky Forest with verdant water gardens that echo the country’s jungles. Construction is expected to start in early 2021.

See the original article at the link.

Cổ rêu phủ kín một đền đài, như một tấm thảm thời gian lặng lẽ trải dài trên bức tường cổ kính của Cố đô Huế. Những lớp rêu mỏng manh, nhưng kiên cường, bám chặt trên bề mặt xù xì của chất liệu: tựa như những ký ức xa xưa vẫn còn lưu lại, không thể phai nhòa theo năm tháng.

Trong ánh sáng mờ ảo của buổi chiều tà, màu xanh của cổ rêu trở nên lung linh hơn, như những viên ngọc bích nhỏ bé, lấp lánh giữa không gian yên tĩnh. Những đường vân của rêu, như những nét vẽ tinh tế của một họa sĩ tài hoa: tạo nên một bức tranh thiên nhiên sống động, đầy cảm hứng.
Mỗi không gian cổ rêu là một câu chuyện, một mảnh ghép của quá khứ, gợi nhớ về những ngày tháng vàng son của triều đại xưa. Đôi khi, một cơn gió nhẹ thổi qua, làm rêu lay động, như những dòng chữ cổ xưa đang thì thầm kể lại những bí mật của thời gian.
Cổ rêu tại Cố đô Huế không chỉ là một phần của cảnh quan, mà còn là biểu tượng của sự trường tồn, của vẻ đẹp giản dị nhưng sâu lắng, khiến lòng người không khỏi bồi hồi, xao xuyến mỗi khi bước ngang qua nó.

Kiến trúc sư Hồ Viết Vinh, Huế. 2025