An article comparing Vietnamese modernist architecture with other decolonized countries

I was commissioned by the Vietnamese Architects Association to write a scholarly article for their magazine,  Tạp chí Kiến trúc, số 8-2024. I chose to write a comparison of Vietnamese modernist architecture, from the mid-century after independence, with architecture around the global south after decolonization. This was based upon the results of the “Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence” exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London over the summer of 2024.

While much of the modernist architecture in decolonized global south countries involved foreign architects, Vietnamese modernist architecture was entirely produced by Vietnamese architects and people. The Vietnamese architects and the people succeeded in developing a tropical modernist architecture that reflects Vietnamese identity. Now they must succeed in protecting this amazing heritage so that memory of identity provides a basis for the future.

Thank you to KTS Nguyễn Ngọc Sơn of the University of Architecture of Ho Chi Minh City for inviting me to write this article.

The publication is in Vietnamese, and you can find it here:  https://www.tapchikientruc.com.vn/chuyen-muc/su-khac-biet-cua-viet-nam-so-voi-kien-truc-hien-dai-toan-cau-thoi-ky-hau-thuoc-dia.html

My original English version can be found here:  https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/y28lj1jw6qovtupxutfzn/VAA-Article-in-English.pdf?rlkey=34yg9g0h6473et69qsvsyp6re&dl=0