Tran Thi Ngu Ngon

Architects Tran Thi Ngu Ngon and Nguyen Hai Long are in charge of designing different projects of Tropical Space office. We fortunately had the chance to have a small talk with her to learn more about her thoughts and perspectives on architecture. Addition to that, she also shared their future vision for Tropical Space. In Tropical Space designs, raw brick walls haven been exploited in many projects throughout Vietnam.

To you and Long, as an architect working directly in the industry, what is the role of architecture in the present and future context?

Tran Thi Ngu Ngon: To be an architect, you are required to bring out and lead the trend, also some environmental – sustainable solutions which could inspire the community to live friendly, to share natural space and to be interactive with the society.

In your opinion, how has COVID-19 affected world architecture and Vietnam in particular? Are there any issues that we should pay attention to? 

After the Covid19 pandemic, we have the chance to recorgnise that there are many things we have to change in daily life, even architecture should be more flexible to adapt any context that life brings.

In these recent 5 years, what do you think about Vietnamese architecture? What have we done and could not have done?

The trend has been focused on autochthony and sustainable architecture. We could say this is the right way to approach architecture, especially in Vietnam. We have been receiving many praises from the international architectural community.

The Termitary House was the first project that led us to Topical Space, we were mesmerized by this, we got the chance to visit it. After those years, what do you think about it? Which made you think about designing it that way?

Frankly, we were just thinking about how to create and build a place so that it can be as saving as possible, and also be able to provide everything needed to be weather resistant, which concludes the autochthony as well so there we did. In addition, the Termitary House was the first project that we presented to the world as well as our national architectural community. We have received a lot of positive feedback.

After the Termitary House, the Brick material and ceiling brick were used and performed in many projects with various functions and scales, through which, what is your opinion towards architecture? 

By using materials such as baked-brick, we could pay more attention to feel the space, lights, and the flow of air since we are deliberated from being over-decorated in architecture as well as interior design.

Long Thanh House

Having thought about your projects using brick, we consider your ways of doing architecture to be an experimental mindset. Which project would be the one you feel for the most, counting from the Termitary House up to now?

Honestly saying, we would like not to make any comparisons in our works. In the Brick series, everything has its connection, inheritance and development according to landscape, climate and purpose of use. We continue to experiment with brick in many more of our projects to improve the use of it, how flexible and more modern it could be. For example, in Organicare Showroom, we have designed a consistent frame system combining brick and steel, which could be changed and removed flexibly.

Would you think this way of approaching material could be sustainable? Could you explain about sustainable architecture and the sustainability in architecture in the simplest way?

Our perspective towards sustainability is pretty straight forward. It is all about how to employ materials the efficient and saving way. We would take any chances to discover more options to magnify their value.

What would you care about the most when beginning a project?

To our mind, let’s say a work of art, for instance, a sculpture to be at its best is when there is natural light falling on it, in which the material sensibility and other effects would be most realistic. Same to building, yet on a bigger scale, where people could live in it. The emotion will show itself much clearer where there is interaction inside-out.

Foremost, simple cubic volumes would be something we start with. From there we gradually develop them into modifications related to natural light. In addition, we research in-depth about effects and impacts of wind, temperature on structure. Accordingly, the local climate is significantly essential to our design.

What is the thing that you relentlessly want to deliver to your client through each of your work?

We encourage and inspire the residents about the love for nature, minimalist lifestyle, diminishing energy usage by using mechanical cooling and lighting systems. The adaptability to local conditions of each project always changes through the means of construction.

Happy Box is an apartment in Hochiminh city, Vietnam. Designed by Tropical Space Architecture

What influence does traditional architecture have on your design attitude? 

We are impressed by the way our forefather dealt with all conditions. In order to harmonise our design with the tropical climate in Vietnam, we have learnt many thoughts and practices from our previous generations to apply in many of Tropical Space’s projects

From our point of view, local culture indeed needs to be displayed through autochthonous architecture, that should be the least as a means to present to the next generation what was there in their hometown. Would you agree with this point? If yes, could you share how you would preserve local values through a specific project you have done? 

Effortlessly to say, we think that the cultural elements in architecture resemble the shade of old trees on the ground.

Tam Dao Villa in Vinh Phuc province, Vietnam

Is there any world-class architect that influences your way of designing? 

It is tough to name a certain one, there are many architects who share the same views and thoughts with us. We all aim to create more and more eco-friendly products. Which is a good signal. Nevertheless, each of us is individual and we all have our own way of making it.

“Art is the expression, architecture is the solution”, what do you think about this point of view?

Without art, architecture is just a functioning giant empty box. What makes architecture attractive is the artistic elements, through block arrangement, interactive material under natural light, systematic functions in spatial rhythms.

Not until then, we have a heart-dropping masterpiece. 

After years working in this field, what has changed or remained in you?

Having designed many projects at different scales, we have hardly changed anything. We are Tropical Space, our architecture is to be adapted to any weather conditions and we aim for sustainability.

Which project you have always wanted to create the most?

A school. We want to design something related to education where children can feel welcoming. They could connect with the environment through material of the structure, light, space, and nature.

It was very nice to talk to you!