The founder and principal of VTN Architects has been honoured with the Arts and Culture Prize for his outstanding contributions to ecological architecture and introducing innovative design concepts.

Established in 1990 by the city of Fukuoka, this annual award recognises individuals with exceptional achievements in academic research, arts and culture in Asia. It comprises three categories: Grand Prize, Academic Prize, and Arts and Culture Prize.

The 49-year-old architect will receive the award in Fukuoka on September 16.

Born in 1976 in Quang Binh, he is a distinguished figure in Southeast Asian architecture, known for his designs that embrace regional environments, vegetation and structures which use bamboo and wood. His work merges local traditions with modern construction techniques, advancing sustainable architecture.

After graduating as valedictorian from Nagoya Institute of Technology, with a scholarship from the Japanese government, Nghia pursued a master's degree in architecture at the University of Tokyo, earning the prestigious Furuichi Award for his thesis.

In 2006, he established Vo Trong Nghia Architects (VTN Architects), with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and has continued to serve as its CEO.

In 2022, he obtained a PhD in architecture from Waseda University in Japan in 2022. Two years later, in 2024, he was appointed as the Norman R. Foster Visiting Professor at Yale School of Architecture, and from this year, he also serves as a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

His notable projects include Gió va Nước (Wind and Water) Café in Ho Chi Minh City (2006) and the Grand World Phu Quoc Welcome Centre (2021), both of which prominently feature bamboo as a key structural and decorative element.

Other remarkable works include Thang House (2021) in Da Nang, integrating urban greenery, and the Bat Trang House, a ceramic brick structure designed in 2020 with an advanced ventilation and insulation system.

He is also recognised for his Buddhist and ancestral worship temple, a modern reinterpretation of traditional Vietnamese architecture, completed in Bến Tre in 2021. His Farming Office in Ho Chi Minh City (2022) embodies open, sustainable architecture, reducing energy consumption. Additionally, he designed the Vietnam Pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai (2010).

His work has received multiple accolades, including the Vietnam National Architecture Award (2012), the Prince Claus Award (Netherlands, 2016), and six gold medals from the Architects Regional Council Asia (ARCASIA). In 2014, the World Economic Forum recognised him as one of the Young Global Leaders.

According to the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, Nghia remains dedicated to ecological architecture, addressing Vietnam’s urban challenges through integrated greenery, innovative ventilation and insulation techniques.

"With his pioneering efforts, Nghia is fully deserving of the Fukuoka Asian Arts and Culture Prize 2025," the embassy noted.

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