SAIGON SPATIAL #2 PERSPECTIVES

This short film explores the rich tapestry of Ho Chi Minh City’s architectural and urban identity, weaving together insights from 12 local and international architects, landscape architects and creative designers living and working in Vietnam.  This short film offers a lens into the world of contemporary architecture and design being created in Vietnam through the insights and approaches of the architects and designers themselves. The film highlights the creative inspiration drawn from Ho Chi Minh City’s unique everyday urban spaces and conditions, including its vibrant streetscapes, lively markets, community hems, and road systems in constant mobility. Architects and designers reflect on how these often underestimated, ordinary spaces and places contribute to their creative philosophies and foster a collective cultural identity. In essence, the short film captures dynamic conversations exploring how Vietnam’s future architectural and design heritage is being shaped by balancing modern innovation, cultural respect, social sensitivities, environmental concerns, and climatic responsiveness.  Merging critical perspectives with visual narratives, this short film offers a compelling exploration of how Vietnam’s urban and architectural landscape continues to evolve, preserving its unique identity while adapting to 21st-century demands and responding to a tropical climate. Funding RMIT Vietnam Strategic Innovation Grant Film Production Company Chimnon Studio, Hanoi | Director, architectural photographer and film maker Lê Minh Hoàng & Phan Hạnh Nguyên Featured Architects sda | Sanuki Daisuke Atelier tho.A | Phạm Nhân Thọ G8A Architecture and Urban Planning | Manuel Der Hagopian MIA Design Studio | Nguyễn Quốc Long KAZE Interior Design Studio | Fong-Chan Zeuthen LAITA Design Studio | Nguyễn Đình Hòa NU Architecture and Design | Jonathan Ng Cheong Tin & Yumie Le The Lab | Tuân Le HTAP Architects | Archie Pizzini oh.hi studio | Vũ Đức Nguyên & Tào Thục Trinh T3 ARCHITECTS | Rafael Lira sgnhA | Trần Quốc Khôi Nguyễn & Nguyễn Đức Tuấn Anh Project Team Dr Rachel Jahja (Project Lead) Associate Professor Graham Crist Associate Professor Anna Johnson Dr Lê Xuân Quyền Dr Dương Thị Hoàng Oanh Ding Tùng Anh Khánh Phạm Dr Andrew Stiff Duc Anh (Ace) Nguyen David Moore Hà Phương Nguyễn (Red) Translation Nguyễn Thúy Anh Thư (Lead) Lê Hồ Thảo Nhi (Lead) Trịnh Minh Nghi Phạm Trung Kiên Vương Hồng Ngọc Nguyễn Thanh An Trần Mộng Thùy Dương Nguyễn Huỳnh Phương Anh Nguyễn Phước Minh Khoa Nguyễn Kim Trọng Nguyễn Kim Anh Nguyễn Đình Duy Khang Hà Phương Nguyễn (Red)