Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta to share design insights in Hanoi

The event, titled Sân Đình S.T.U.D.I.O Talk #01 × Snøhetta: : Where Culture Shapes the Architecture of Tomorrow, will feature Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, founding partner of Snøhetta, and Richard Wood, managing director of Snøhetta Asia. 

Held under the theme “Shared Culture, Collective Futures”, the discussion is expected to attract more than 1,000 participants, including architects, students, educators, investors and creative professionals.

Founded in 1989, Snøhetta is an international architecture and design practice known for its interdisciplinary approach, with more than 250 professionals from 40 countries. Its notable projects include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, the Oslo Opera House in Norway and the Cloud 11 development in Bangkok, Thailand. Its work explores how the built environment can respond to its cultural, social and natural surroundings.

At the Hanoi event, Thorsen will share insights into the practice’s design philosophy and the role of local identity, communities and cultural context in shaping architectural projects. Wood will discuss how international design experience can be applied to Asian markets, including Vietnam, where rapid urbanisation and the development of tourism destinations are creating new demands on the built environment.

The conversation will examine how architecture can go beyond visual appeal to create meaningful connections between people and places. It will also consider how designers can balance contemporary needs with cultural heritage, environmental responsibility and the long-term interests of local communities.

These questions are increasingly relevant to Vietnam as its cities expand and new urban and tourism developments take shape. Integrating local character into modern design, while responding to environmental pressures and changing patterns of urban life, is an important consideration for architects, developers and policymakers.

By bringing international practitioners into direct dialogue with local professionals and younger generations of designers, the event aims to encourage an exchange of ideas about architecture’s role in shaping future cities.

Sân Đình S.T.U.D.I.O Talk #01 × Snøhetta will be organised by Sun Group's Design Management Division, with professional support from the Vietnam Association of Architects.

Through the programme, Sun Group aims to expand professional exchanges between Vietnamese and international architects, encouraging the application of global design knowledge while preserving local cultural identity.

Vietnamese architect honoured with France’s Order of Academic Palms

VOV.VN - French Ambassador to Vietnam Olivier Brochet has awarded France’s Order of Academic Palms to Dr. Architect Nguyen Thai Huyen at Hanoi Architecture University in recognition of her contributions to education cooperation between the two countries.