Trần Ngọc Linh

Could you share with us why you chose to be an architect?

Back then in highschool, I and some friends went for drawing class. At the beginning, we just wanted to know how to draw. I found pencil drawing very interesting, it was 3 times a week. I saw and met many people who came to the class to get ready for architectural university. I registered and gained admission to Hanoi Architectural University. Having graduated, I have been working as an architect until now.

My path to architecture is quite simple. From my hobby and the joy of drawing, I took specialised training and it became my profession.

For now, do you have other interests aside from architecture?

I love exploring life, nature, getting to know history and culture, which make me try to find ways to combine these with how I practise architecture. In architecture, every factor complements and synthesises each other. It is the natural manifestation of all my other concerns, even though they are unrelated to architecture.

Who is the person that inspires you?

I could not name out anyone in particular. Back then when I first started, I truly did not know much about all these people who made up the architecture of Vietnam and the world. When I was at university, I spent a lot of time observing people. It is rare to see anyone being happy or passionate about pursuing this career. Later on, I could meet many people that brought some influence on our thinking of doing architecture. Whenever I had the chance to visit their construction, I could see the joy and happiness on their faces. Time after time, it has gradually formed an inspiration in me.

Perhaps, being less affected by these big names is a fascinating thing, it helps maintain my drawing. Additionally, I could learn much more from reality by observing and communicating with people that work in the same field as me day to day.

What was your first work of architecture? Could you share with us your starting period being an architect?

I had a job at a small office, like all my peers back then. After that I interned and practised in bigger ones. Post graduation, I had tried working for state-owned design companies and international companies. After a while, I quit and opened my own office.

I mainly follow my thoughts and feelings. Every period comes with intriguing experiences mixed with future thoughts about my long-term career. The path will open up for you.

The first project I took part in was during my last few years at the university. It was a resort in Tam Dao. I was standing there watching my work take shape from my sketch to putting it into operation. The inauguration day was very meaningful because it was a really important step for me to experience. Personally, the meaning of constructing a whole building in reality is an intriguing feeling to any architects out there, regardless of scale.

How was the early period of Idee? Was everything as easy as you thought?

The fact is that I and my partners at Idee had worked together on some projects before 2011. We are friends in real life as well as in work. So when we opened this office, we really trusted each other and tried hard for our mutual goals.

At the beginning, we did not think of anything big, our workload was quite small, we only wanted some projects so we could draw and prove our ability. Those days were tough, yet fun and happy. We shared all the little things together just to get a job.

What do you think about the current architecture in Vietnam?

It was a tough period for us all during the outbreak. We felt pretty lucky that we could still work. However, it was ideal for us to actually do our work by looking at many perspectives of life such as social needs, amusement needs, living needs and the desire to improve the quality of life.

During this time, many of our clients were very open-minded. They are young and have the possibility to carry out new works with architects, experiment new materials and perspectives. The working environment was also more dynamic and easier to share. We, architects had more chances to meet up and exchange what we know. The Internet is now connecting us to the world, access to world architects is no longer something fancy only in books.

What do you think about investors in Vietnam in the past 10 years? How would they influence architecture and architects?

As mentioned above, investors in Vietnam have a great improvement in both quantity and quality. Their strong culture and financial background provide them the opportunity to access many architectural works, they could understand more about architecture than the old generation. They hold the aesthetic value in high regard, might be equal or even higher than the economic factor. The thinking “comfort is better than pride” is now turning into dressing nicely and having good taste. This is the reason why they are open-minded, showing respect and listening carefully to architects’ opinions. More or less, they are contributing to promote and support architectural activities at the moment towards good goals and values.

Although there are many positive signs, there are some limitations. In the last 10 years, I have seen many clients take a hold on the showing-off-cover in architecture, sometimes they consider profit over consequences. If the architect does not pay attention, it will be easy to get caught up in the flow. They might have some projects, but the long-term adverse outcome is difficult to compensate. We need to keep our eyes open!

What do you care about the most when starting a project?

The first feeling about the project is important to me. I can feel that by different means like interacting with clients, listening to their stories or when I come up with ideas during my visit to the actual site.

Your instinct speaks, it is important, especially in architecture. After analysing and researching data, I tend to think back about my first impressions when I look at the blue print, the sketch and the model. Sometimes it gives me other feelings, new ideas.

About your projects, we have seen that the series of villas that Idee has been working on have quite nonidentical context. They carry the modern and minimalist atmosphere with open space, glass material and concrete. Not many of them utilise local material, could you share with us about your view on this in architecture?

We have been observing and learning from local material and also local building techniques all along each of our projects, which are based on requirements and their contexts. This really helps us save time and sweat. But for some of our ongoing ones, we have not had yet many opportunities to implement local elements.

To me, in each time, each period, the construction technology factor in architecture reflects the essence of that period. The impacts of technology, material or even living habits are constantly changing, making us fit in and experience to see the upside, downside, the right thing for us. Inheritance and enculturation always accompany the acquisition of external factors, which is also inevitable for architecture or construction. In my opinion, utilising materials that are no longer popular in the current life might create the coercion in architecture sometimes. I want to filter out and use the local material and building techniques in a new way, which is suitable for our current lives and my architecture.

Cam Hai House (Cam Ranh)
Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam

How important is light in architecture? What do you feel about light settings throughout your works?

It is the top priority, not only for us but also for most architects. Despite the terrain or climate, I would like to catch sight of my work bathed in the cosy warm winter sunlight or in the hazy summer sunbeam shining through the leaves. If there is no light, there is no architecture.

More often than not, we really take time to get to know about light in each project, which is the primary way to exploit other important factors such as space, materials and material sense.

Recently, aside from villas, we have noticed that Idee has been working on some resort projects in Vietnam. Could you share with us this new approach of yours and your thoughts when designing these resort places?

It all started with our love for nature, travelling and wandering around places. We would like to try out resort projects when we have a chance. In fact, Idee has been working on many projects in different scales, from resort to private villa.

The key thing of a resort project is the ability to connect people with the untouched beauty of the place. It is a tendency to experience life in nature, from which people could take a moment to reflect on their lives. The feeling after the stay really has an affection for people, especially if it was an excellent one. They will gradually change their behaviour with life and their surrounding nature.

Thai Binh House
Thai Binh province, Vietnam

Do you have any interest in traditional architecture? Is there any connection in your projects with traditional architecture? If there is, could you give some examples?

We observe and learn a lot from it. We also admire the depth of culture and life in each place we have been to. For instance, there is this particular feature that I notice is the eaves of traditional Vietnamese houses. This is a multi-purpose space, where people can easily reconnect, have some talks or discuss. This is the space that we usually include in our designs.

In the old-fashioned multi-compartment Vietnamese house, we realise that spaces in the house are flexibly utilised. There is hardly any particular space for specific division, therefore we find few places are built into chambers or proof rooms. We, Vietnamese, might not appreciate privacy as Westerners do, which is why our architecture forms up differently. It is worth learning that our living is now integrated with western style.

What do you think about sustainability in architecture? Is there any of your work that reveals it best? Could you share with us?

Sustainability appears in all of our works. This is an important factor that helps our constructions longlasting, be used effectively and be able to inspire others.

Our Mian Farm Cottage project was built with a relatively low budget. We approach this project in a quite simple way, in which we try to create more family spaces, the house has become a part of the surrounding nature. After years, our client still loves it so much, feeling relieved whenever they come home. They could sit comfortably on the porch and chill. This is really meaningful to us.

There are some scenes from a TV series “Ve nha di con” recently which were filmed there. I guess their director could feel the vibe of the place, how rustic and comfortable it brings into the cinema.