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

“Happy Teachers will change the world.”

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh

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.

TP.HCM đang tổ chức cho người dân cả nước góp ý, hiến kế về “Công trình biểu tượng ghi nhận sự chung sức, đồng lòng của người dân vượt qua đại dịch COVID-19” tại TP.HCM ở khu đất số 1 Lý Thái Tổ (phường Vườn Lài).

Theo kiến trúc sư Hồ Viết Vinh,
Đối với đồng bào thành phố đã nằm xuống trong cuộc chiến chống đại dịch cần được tri ân, ghi nhớ một cách trân trọng tại công trình trên bằng cách khắc tên ở công trình. Rất nhiều công trình tưởng niệm trên thế giới đều có khắc tên các nạn nhân như công trình kỷ niệm sự kiện 11-9 ở Mỹ hay trận động đất ở Đường Sơn, Trung Quốc…
Đối với 23.000 đồng bào mất đi cần được nhắc nhớ một cách trang trọng để mọi người còn biết tưởng nhớ đến ai, tri ân ai. Những người đã nằm xuống cho cuộc sống hôm nay thì bất kể họ là ai, không phân biệt, phải được những người hôm nay, thế hệ sau đến công trình tham quan tự lắng đọng, biết ơn mới thể hiện sự nhân văn.

Vui lòng đọc đầy đủ nội dung bài báo tại link này (bấm vào đây).

Vinhho Biography
Ho Viet Vinh is a Vietnamese architect who graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1995 from the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where he received an award for creative design in his final year. He is a Registered Architect in Vietnam, a Registered Urban Planner in Ho Chi Minh City, and a member of the Association of Architects and Urban Planners of Vietnam.
Vinh’s career began in 1995 with participation in several design competitions in Ho Chi Minh City. That same year, he became a lecturer in the Urban Planning Department at the University of Architecture.
In 1998, he won second prize in the international competition organized by the Summer Workshop of Cergy-Pontoise, France, with the theme “Ho Chi Minh City and the Saigon River.”
In 2005, he was awarded a special prize in another international competition by the Summer Workshop of Cergy-Pontoise, France, for his project “Can Gio Emotional City.”
In 2010, he participated in the U.S. International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) focusing on Sustainable Urban Planning.
In 2015, Vinh was selected by the Lebadang Creative Foundation to design the Lebadang Memory Space Museum in Hue. During this time, he also became the Director of the Fund.