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in Architecture

Keeping Cool in Thủ Đức With This Humble Abode’s Well-Ventilated Design

Thick multi-layer brick walls, shaded areas, water features, and natural ventilation allow this private home to stay cool amidst the city's stifling heat.

in Music & Arts

In Action Together During Traveling Art Week Nổ Cái Bùm 2024

Taking place in Đà Nẵng and Hội An earlier in August 2024, the traveling art week Nổ Cái Bùm 2024 became a platform for local artists to showcase artworks, and attracted the attention of many local an...

in Architecture

5 Iconic Buildings in Saigon That Showcase Vietnamese Modernist Architecture

Take a stroll along any random street in downtown Saigon, one is bound to bump into a hodgepodge of architectural styles. Sleek but boring international-style skyscrapers, tranquil Buddhist pagodas, a...

in Music & Arts

Vy Trịnh Takes Us 'On Da Dream' via Her Solo Exhibition at Galerie Quynh

Tough-looking, yet elegant metal ribbons spark, spill, move and occupy all corners of the empty space: up and down, left and right, and in countless directions. Through a new series of sculpture works...

Paul Christiansen

in Culture

Via Webcomics About Sơn Đoòng, Hai Bà Trưng, a Link to Vietnam Across the Ocean

An enormous chim Lạc snatches Mai from her school library in the present day and lifts her high above Sa Pa more than 2,000 years ago.

in Society

Diving (Literally) Into Hoàng Hoa Thám's Mountains of Secondhand Clothes

In a hẻm, clothing sprawled out on platforms lined with the plastic sacks the clothing came in, overspilling onto the tarmac road. This was just a glimpse of the thrifting scene in Vietnam.

in Architecture

'Slow/ed/ing Architecture': When Architects Ruminate on Architecture Together

The super cute duo that make up the design studio “Exutoire” are Bùi Quý Sơn and Paul-Antoine Lucas. Life and work partners, they moved back(ish) to Vietnam from Oslo last year, and are currently prep...

in Architecture

A New Company Headquarters Brings a Green Respite to Industrial Đồng Nai

Hammocks, koi ponds and mature trees are not typically associated with industrial parks.

in Music & Arts

Traces of Movement, Memory and Heritage in Duo Exhibition 'Entrusting to Emptiness'

An exhibition that brings the audience through the transition between day and night, and movements between dream and memories. There is no beginning and no end, and all elements above somehow reflect ...

in Music & Arts

In 'Vietnam Retropunk,' a Young Illustrator Dreams of a Cyberpunk Hanoi

To Đặng Thái Tuấn, the talent behind illustration project “Vietnam Retropunk,” whimsical depictions of robots and animatronics sprouting out from everyday objects and activities embody the space in be...

Paul Christiansen

in Ton-sur-Ton

Easybadwork's Free Spirits Are Rooted in Nature and the Underground

A sparrow swooping across a special-edition can of Coca-Cola, the illustrations featured in the artworks of Ngọt's Grammy-nominated album boxset, or perhaps even the tattoo on a stranger you pass on t...

in Music & Arts

Galuocad's Artworks Create a Universe of Very-Vietnamese Whimsy

Staying in one place for an extended period can lead to what's known as the "boiled frog effect."

in Music & Arts

Lemaire's Campaigns Blend Vietnam's Street Scenes, French Fashion

Stuck in traffic on a Honda Cub, but make it fashion.

in Architecture

In Hanoi, a Family Home Balances Commercial Hustle With Spiritual Haven

If many Vietnamese families often opt to reserve one room in their house plan for ancestor worship, this household in Hanoi decided to dedicate an entire backyard to their family altar.

in Music & Arts

From Tò He to Tamagotchi: Local Designer Brings Our Childhood Toys to Stamps

For Vietnamese kids today, when it comes to games, there’s a possibility that their childhood is entirely confined to the digital world. From phone applications like Temple Run and Pokemon GO to block...

in Music & Arts

From Vintage Album Covers to 'Bolero,' a Set of 6 Typefaces for Nostalgic Souls

If you’ve paid attention to shop signs and brand visuals across Vietnam’s cybersphere, you’ve probably come across one of Nguyễn Thế Mạnh's typefaces.

in Music & Arts

In Dialogue With Trần Nữ Yên Khê on Her 'White Blank' Art Exhibition

Tran Nu YênKhê may be most well-known to Vietnamese audiences because of her unforgettable performances in Tran Anh Hung’s Vietnam Trilogy. However, in recent years, YênKhê has become increasingly est...

in Music & Arts

Local Illustrator Recreates Saigon's Convenience Stores as Adorable Cartoon Houses

In the early 2010s, convenience stores emerged as an affordable alternative for Vietnamese youths, especially those with limited disposable income, to chill. A decade later, the widespread mushrooming...

in Culture

On the Hunt for One-of-a-Kind Treasures in Saigon's Thriving Thrift Shops

In the summer of 2021, Hương Nguyễn decided to pivot away from her office job and launch an online thrift store called Vintage Hearts. She was motivated by how difficult it was to find clothing in Sai...

in Culture

The Artist Preserving Saigon's Cultural Tapestry Through Hand-Painted Signs

"In the early 2000s, the market experienced an exodus of painters due to the shift to digital; it was difficult to retain customers otherwise. I didn't want my craft to be forgotten, so I started ever...

in Ton-sur-Ton

Chiecquanque Breathes Life Into Patchwork to Create Unique Handmade Clothing

Chiecquanque is an independent fashion brand presenting clothing items, backpacks and bags that were handcrafted. Each item that the store carries is a one-off creation that exists on its own due to t...

in Architecture

Amid Bảo Lộc Hills, a Wooden Cafe Floats Amongst the Clouds

In the middle of nowhere Bảo Lộc, perched on the side of an alternative national road is the wooden carapace of Nguyen Coffee, a veritable “Noah’s ark” welcoming travelers in for a short break to enjo...

in Music & Arts

New Board Game Set Puts an Aesthetic Feline Touch on Bầu Cua Tôm Cá

In two weeks’ time, we can temporarily put down our laptops, shut away documents, and set up holiday auto-replies to slip into a bánh chưng-induced coma for a week.

in Arts & Culture

Khô Mực Studio Releases Surreal Calendar Featuring Art From 12 Local Artists

For the 2023 calendar, 'Robots vs. Flowers,' twelve young Vietnamese artists were each given a month and tasked with creating an image responding to the question: "Can technology and nature survive to...

Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

Two Decades of Women's Vintage Fashion in Saigon, as Illustrated by a Young Hanoian

In conversations surrounding Vietnam’s fashion history, it’s impossible not to discuss áo dài and its many iterations across the eras as symbols of Vietnamese femininity, but it would be amiss to leav...

in Architecture

On a Hill in Huế, a Glass-Filled Home Welcomes Natural Light With Open Arms

Are hills simply mountains that lack ambition?

in Music & Arts

How Young Artists Are Bringing Mural Arts to Schools in Rural Vietnam

On their fifth journey off the beaten paths, Tô Đậm is heading to the highland of Ma Bó, Lâm Đồng Province for a new season of lessons, stories, and adventures previously unfolded.

in Music & Arts

Q&A: Nguyễn Quí Đức on Tadioto, Zone 9, and How He Fell for Hanoi's Charms

Countless are the number of hours Hanoi creatives have spent sipping whisky and contemplating the world at the famous drinking hole that is Tadioto.

in Music & Arts

'Đông Nam Bộ' Project Invites 14 Young Artists to Draw the History of Their Hometowns

“Đông Nam Bộ” is a collection of illustrations reflecting the culture, history and local charms of provinces in the Southeast Region of Vietnam. The artworks were all created by artists who live or gr...

in Development

Hanoi Is Not Building Dragon-Inspired Longest Structure in the World, Official Says

A 700,000-square-meter dragon-shaped building will remain a futuristic fantasy in the capital's Tây Hồ area, but it might be fun to indulge in its flashy design for a moment. The structure, meant...

in Music & Arts

Illustration Series 'Phố Trong Hộp' Preserves Our Street Corners in a Tin Can

The cheeky illustration project “Phố Trong Hộp” (City in a Box) was conceived when its author Khánh Băng started merging Vietnam’s quaint street corners with some of the country’s most iconic FMCG pro...

in Music & Arts

OHQUAO Lifts Young Designers to the Forefront of Vietnam's Creative Presence

“What we wanted was to bring iconic images of Vietnam to a global audience — metal doors, plastic stools, cà phê sữa and at the same time use these as tools for people to become connected,” said Hoa P...

in Ton-sur-Ton

Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time

In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion fro...

in Culture

From Oral Lore to a Mini Encyclopedia of Folk Demons, Ghosts, and Restless Spirits

River entities hiding the bodies of drowned victims, spectral ma lai whose head and guts hover in the air, ma trành spirits luring unassuming victims into the path of tigers, or the ghosts of a family...

in Architecture

In Huế, a Glass Cottage to Spend the Rest of Your Life With Your Beloved

If somehow your relationship manages to survive illnesses, conflicts, and external temptations to endure until both of you are in your sunset years, how would you spend the rest of your life?

in Culture

An Exploration of H'Mông Fashion Through the Eyes of a Young H'Mông Curator

Combining elements of the traditional and the modern, Hnubflower and her collaborators have brought to life a project to recreate the fashion of many H’Mông communities in provinces across Vietnam.

in Saigon

Tân Sơn Nhất Airport's New Terminal Will Have Áo Dài-Inspired Design

After years of existing on paper, Tân Sơn Nhất’s third terminal (T3) has slowly materialized in the form of visual renderings.

in Development

Hanoi Unveils Design for New Floating Opera House Near West Lake

Hanoi is planning to build a 13,000 square-meter floating theater near West Lake with a capacity of around 3,500 seats. 

in Architecture

[Photos] A House in Sơn La Cocoons Its Residents Around a Quiet Courtyard

In many up-and-coming urban areas in Vietnam, empty plots of land are sectioned off and sold as narrow puzzle pieces that will eventually become towering tube houses facing the chaos of arterial stree...

in Architecture

[Photos] This Buôn Ma Thuột House Is a Cottagecore Dreamland

In recent years, the Central Highlands has slowly become one of the most sought-after regions in Vietnam for young people to travel and live in.

in Ton-sur-Ton

In Seattle, a Vietnamese Jewelry Maker Finds Comfort in the Quirky and Queer

The big, bold, and fun accessories with an air of mystique that Đinh Nguyễn Song Khanh and their spouse, Meiyin, create under their brand XYZ reflect their definition of queer fashion in the US, where...

Khôi Phạm

in Film & TV

Review: 'U Linh Tích Ký' Shows Made-in-Vietnam Animation Prowess, but Is Light on Narrative

Premiered less than 24 hours ago, a made-in-Vietnam animation project has quickly become the talk of the town in the local cybersphere thanks to its high production values and intriguing concept.

in Tech

Game Concept 'Vệ Thần' Crafts a Magical Realm From Vietnam's Wealth of Folklore

The recent renaissance in Vietnam's game-making market has been strongly driven by independent studios delivering highly acclaimed and anticipated productions.

in Vietnam

Controversy Brews Over 'Minh Mạng' Herbal Tea Brand's Song Joong-Ki Packaging

A tea product featuring the face of a South Korean celebrity has turned into a royal pain for its manufacturer.

in Culture

Here Are the Fabulous Finalists of Miss Universe's National Costume Design Competition

From feng shui to bánh tráng trộn, the chosen designers find their inspiration everywhere. 

in Tech

Vietnamese Indie Game 'Hoa' Wins 3 Awards for Best Art Direction, Music at Webby

The dreamy platformer snagged trophies for Best Art Direction, Best Music/Sound Design, and People’s Voice Best Art Direction at the awards honoring the "Best of the Internet."

in Architecture

[Photos] T3 Architects Turned a Modernist Villa Into a Celebration of Chocolate

Looks like we'll be working remote today.

in Tech

Vietnamese Game 'Hoa' Nominated for Best Art Direction, Music in 2022 Webby Awards

If you spent your 2021 lockdown escaping into the wondrous, whimsical world of Hoa, the locally developed video game, now is your chance to show your support for the creators.

in Music & Arts

Mythology, History, and Supernaturals Mingle in the World of 'Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái'

Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái was one of Vietnam’s first anthologies written in Hán characters in prose form. It’s a collection of 22 folk tales, mythologies, and legends surrounding the origin story of the Vie...

in Culture

Handbook Project Empowers Local Communities to Write Their Own Cultural Narratives

“No one could sing our song but ourselves.” — Inrasra, Chăm poet and anthropologist.

in Architecture

[Photos] A House in Đồng Nai Designed for the Warmth of Tết Gatherings

Family gatherings might be a touchy subject for many of us who don’t connect well with some family members, but if one was to design a house with cordial meals and warm banquets in mind, what would it...

in Development

Enormous 'City Within a City' Planned for An Phú, Thủ Đức City

It will feature a wide range of building styles and features.

in Music & Arts

Digital Artist Transports Us Back to Hanoi Tramway’s Halcyon Days

Many Hanoians have seen historical photos of the capital’s lost tramway network, which was inaugurated in 1901. What began as a state-of-the-art electric tramway eventually fell into disrepair in the ...

in Development

Four Designs for New Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge Up for Voting

Throughout the month of March, Hanoians can see and vote on four design options for the new Trần Hưng Đạo Bridge before the city makes a final decision.

in Music & Arts

Adorable Metro Illustrations Take Viewers on a Joyride Through Saigon

As fans of Vietnam’s busiest city, graphic designers An Nguyễn and Học Nguyễn launched a mock communication campaign to create prospective visual branding for the upcoming Ho Chi Minh City Metro. The ...

in Architecture

[Photos] A Non-Traditional Residence Inspired by Traditional Village Homes

With dedicated spaces for yoga and various exercises, the Red Cave's color and structure stand out amid the tube houses and international-style mansions in Saigon.

in Literature

How Indie Book Publisher Bar De Force Marries Art, Literature and Translation

“A collision of literature and art on the pages” is the descriptor that Bar De Force, a Vietnamese independent press, gives itself.

in Music & Arts

A Local High School Student Gives His Own Textbooks a Sleek Makeover

"I embarked on the project with the desire to help students like me have a more positive and interesting view of textbooks in particular and learning in general, making subjects no longer an abstract ...

Linh Pham

in Culture

The Wall, a Costume, and a Nation's Identity: How the First Áo Dài Came to Be

How does a nation represent itself to the world?

in Music & Arts

An Eclectic Collage of Tigers From the Viewpoint of Vietnamese Artists

The Year of the Tiger is officially here. To celebrate the arrival of the third zodiac animal, many Vietnamese artists have contributed to the community project "Behum 2k22." The name is a portmanteau...

in Music & Arts

Designer Lucia Phạm's Animated Video Refreshes Tết Wishes With New Visuals

To Lucia Phạm, a young graphic designer and illustrator, creating a personal project for the Lunar New Year has become an annual tradition. This year, instead of crafting static images, Lucia went all...

in Architecture

[Photos] Saigon Home Re-Imagines the Traditional Tubehouse

The mixed-use shophouse/home structure has long been a staple of Vietnam’s urban fabric — allowing residents to generate revenue from lower-floor businesses while making a home on the upper levels.

in Music & Arts

'54 Shades of Dần,' a Tribute to Tết in Tiger-Themed Playing Cards

Tết is coming, a time of joy, new beginnings and, for some, the ideal time for card games.

in Architecture

[Photos] This Bình Dương House Harks Back to a Simpler Tree-Filled Time

If only we could all have a garden around our house.

in Parks & Rec

The Weird, Whimsical, Wondrous World of Art Toys in Vietnam

At the end of 1999, Hong Kong artist and designer Michael Lau presented the “Gardener” toy collection, an amalgamation of his interests in G.I. Joe action figures and street culture. The launch is wid...

in Architecture

[Photos] At Hanoi's Astronomy Park, an Earth-Bound Journey to the Stars

Vietnam's major cities are infamously short on green space, so any new park is noteworthy — particularly when they are as uniquely designed as the Astronomy Park in Hanoi's western suburbs.

in Music & Arts

Exhibition 'Hà Nội Là' Showcases How Local Youths Define the Capital

Twenty-nine outstanding artworks from the illustration contest “Hà Nội Là” are on displayed at the French Institute in Hanoi-L’Espace from December 18, 2021 to January 2, 2022.

in Music & Arts

Have an Interest in Creating? Saigon's Ươm Art Hub Welcomes All.

“There’s nothing much to say of Ươm except for the fact that it’s a collective of zany 20-somethings aspiring to do something that one might sort of categorize as ‘creative.’” — This is how Ươm Art Hu...

in Music & Arts

On an Eerie Night Tour Through Hell at 'Hù: Quả Báo' Art Exhibition

Have you ever wondered how those who steal designs or borrow without returning would repent for their sins in hell?

in Music & Arts

A Typographic Tribute to Áo Dài in This Elegant New Typeface

Đạt Đỗ, a graphic designer based in Ho Chi Minh City, is embracing local culture through the release of a brand-new typeface, Vén.

in Architecture

[Photos] This Petite Abode Brings Adaptability and Comfort to the Forefront

Big, spacious homes certainly have their appeal, but sometimes all you need is a cozy little abode.

in Ton-sur-Ton

A Gia Lai Entrepreneur Brings Her Hometown's Brocade Art to Modern Jewelry

Vũ Thị Thanh Vân had a simple wish: she wanted to find a well-crafted brocade gift for a friend but the only items she could find were generic, run-of-the-mill fillers sold at tourist sites. Thus bega...

in Music & Arts

Year of the Tiger Through Tết Artworks by Vietnamese Illustrators

“Lịch Con Hổ” (The Tiger Calendar) is an initiative to raise funds for Hanoi-based NGO Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. The creative project was brought to life thanks to a young artist collective a...

in Music & Arts

What If Disney Fairy Tales Took Place in Vietnam? A Local Illustrator Wonders.

Cinderella, Snow White and The Little Mermaid are all iconic animated characters whose imagery has left a strong impression on generations of children. What if these stories, popularized by Disney car...

in Architecture

[Photos] The Little Son La House at the Base of the Hill

If children like your house design, you must be doing something right.

in Architecture

[Photo] An Open-Air Cafe in Hoi An to Catch the Morning Sunlight

"I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” said renowned artist Vincent Willem van Gogh. Perhaps coffee should have been added to the list.

Khôi Phạm

in Tech

Review: Vietnamese Indie Game 'Hoa' Is a Soothing Oasis in the Age of Anxiety

There is an exquisite but hard-to-name feeling that engulfs me every time I finish watching a particularly outstanding movie. It’s a lingering mixture of awe, fulfillment, wistfulness, anguish, contem...

in Arts & Culture

An Illustration Project Brings Life to the Pages of 16th-Century Literature

Find yourself immersed in the world of mythical fiction through these enchanting illustrations from the art project Truyền Kỳ Mạn Lục.

in Music & Arts

'Thần Đồng Đất Việt' Author Lê Linh: 'I Will Never Stop Working With History'

For Vietnamese comic fans of the past two decades, the names Lê Linh and Thần Đồng Đất Việt will most definitely ring a bell.

in Architecture

[Photos] D2's Okkio Cafe Is an Architectural Homage to Wong Kar-Wai

Today's architecture feature will be familiar to frequent visitors of Thao Dien.

in Music & Arts

An Illustrator Gives Vietnamese Music Icons Sleek Cyberpunk Makeovers

Trần Phát, known on social media as Phat HaHa, is a designer from Bien Hoa. He recently released an album of 30 Vietnamese artists drawn in cyberpunk style. 

in Environment

Dr. Plastic, the Hanoi Duo Who Give New Life to Single-Use Plastic

Plastic pollution is considered one of the main environmental threats to our planet’s health.

in Music & Arts

What Is Hanoi to You? A New Art Competition Seeks Answers From Young Designers.

What is Hanoi to you? Is it the mesmerizing old architecture, the thousand-year legacy, the usual traffic craze, or a warm bowl of phở in the morning?

in Culture

Đại Việt Kỳ Nhân: When Vietnam's Prolific History Meets Board Game

After copious exchanges with friends from abroad, Tô Quốc Nghị had a flash of realization: just like his friends’ countries, Vietnam has always had a wicked awesome history, but the dull, uninspiring ...

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

Saigon Designer Envisages Classic Vietnamese Transportations With Some Pizzaz

What if your motorbike had rocket propulsion?

in Architecture

[Photos] How One Hanoi Building Turned a Roof on its Head

Have you ever seen roof tiles and thought they would make for a great building?

in Architecture

[Photos] Stunning Art Deco-Style Cinema in Go Vap Pays Homage to Classic Saigon

The pastel-drenched interior of Beta Cinema finds inspiration in some of Saigon's most famous landmarks and locations. 

in Music & Arts

To Celebrate the Olympics, Japanese Artists Reimagine National Flags as Anime Fighters

As nations gather in Tokyo for the summer Olympics, a group of Japanese artists have shown their support by creating anime characters based on the participating countries' flags.

in Food Culture

For Her Graduation Project, a Local Designer Turns Street Food Into Mobile Game

The game project, with its lusciously illustrated noodles and spring rolls, is tormenting us as we’re secluded at home not knowing when we’ll be able to feast on cơm tấm again.

in Architecture

[Photos] An Open-Plan Abode That Harks Back to Traditional Homes

With seasonal floodwaters no longer reaching the neighborhood, when it came time to rebuild this home, architects opted to abandon the stilts previously used in the area while seeking to retain a trad...

in Tech

Outside In: An Indie Studio in Hanoi Releases the Ultimate Friendship Test on Steam

Outside In: The Ultimate Friendship Test is a new Steam game that was developed by a team of independent game designers from Hanoi. The challenging game revolves around a war against a deadly virus. P...

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Designer Pursues Fresh Approach to Making History Known

Self-taught graphic designer Michael Angle is passionate about Vietnam’s history and wants to spread that love to everybody.

in Ton-sur-Ton

From Discarded Denim, a Young Vietnamese Designer Crafts Artisanal Fashion

Dương Hoàng Hảo founded Perfect Vintage Stuff, a secondhand clothing brand to provide sustainable fashion that aims to pave the way for circular consumption. But far from your average off-the-rack thr...

in Ton-sur-Ton

Enjoy the Simple Things: The Essence of Hanoi's Gian Don Clothing Store

Gian Don is not much of a commercial fashion brand but a "family shop," where Diệu spends her days delivering stories on "friendly" fashion, and puppies are “employed” as sales associates. I visi...

in Culture

Find Literary Divination in This Special Deck of 'Tale of Kiều' Tarot

In the world of tarot, each of the 78 cards represents a metaphysical inquiry into life and the human psyche. Meanwhile, in Nguyễn Du’s epic poem, each of the 3,254 verses offers a philosophical explo...

in Architecture

[Photos] A 'Tropical Chalet' in Da Nang for Post-Pandemic Travel Dreams

What comes to mind when you see the word "chalet"?

in Architecture

Vietnamese Architects Are Leaders in the Architecture of the Information Age

Over the past few years, Vietnamese architects have been developing a new architecture beyond modernism for small projects such as houses and schools. Architects around the world are taking notice and...

in Film & TV

The Vietnamese Studio That Creates Artworks for Makoto Shinkai, 'Attack on Titan'

Challenging the negative stereotypes surrounding the animation industry, Nam Hai Art opens a route for many passionate animators to pursue both passion and stable income.

in Culture

Fantastic Beasts of Vietnam's Mythology Reimagined by Local Student Project

Drawing from Vietnam’s myths and legends, a young artist has created a series of illustrations of figures that pay tribute to the country’s supernatural beliefs.

in Music & Arts

Meet Tô Đậm, the Young Artists Bringing Mural Arts to Schools in Rural Vietnam

Tô Đậm is a non-profit organization founded by artists who share one thing in common: they all love to paint and travel. Their collective works cannot be found at any galleries or museums, even if you...