Antidote to Burnout

Design Touches 9

This park bench out in the Phu My Hung area of South Saigon (District 7 of HCMC) is a very interesting design, even if it is not very comfortable. We didn't spend much time sitting on this bench -- we... Read more →

Color in Vietnamese modernist houses

Viet commented yesterday on my posting of 23 October 2007 entitled "Neighborhood new houses...": I realize VNeses like to use to the secondary colors to paint thier buildings (perhaps it's due to the heat, probably it's toomuch to the eyes... Read more →

Design Touches 8

Not all of the ideas used in modernist buildings in Ho Chi Minh City are architectural. This very plain building is made eye-catching through the use of some simple painted graphic lines. Many of the sides or backs of HCMC... Read more →

Impressive large themed cafés

In my posting about American coffeehouses a month ago, I mentioned that the stores are much smaller than Vietnamese cafés. The design of these stores are almost always retail in nature and rarely explore themes or provide environments more comfortable... Read more →

Modernist design ideas in Việt Nam

I have often expressed my respect for the modernist tradition practiced by Vietnamese architects in urban houses. I believe that Vietnamese architects have explored a long history of modernist design ideas, and produce very interesting, well-designed houses. They constantly try... Read more →

Design Touches 7

While I am thrilled about the modernist and experimental directions of Vietnamese house architecture, I am aware that Việt Nam has a long history of modernist architecture that has a distinctive Vietnamese flavor. Việt Nam's explorations in modernist art and... Read more →

Design Touches 6

Vietnamese designers are often very inventive and innovative. They use materials in previously unused ways, and create very interesting features in places usually not treated. This small office building on Đường (Street) Phan Xích Long in TP. Hồ Chí Minh... Read more →

Design Touches 5

Continuing a series on design touches around the neighborhoods of TP. Ho Chi Minh, the following two gates are located on Phan Xich Long Street in the Phu Nhuan District. There is a new urban neighborhood along the eastern end... Read more →

Design Touches 4 -- More Gates

There is an incredible diversity of design ideas expressed in the urban houses of TP. Hồ Chí Minh. I could take hundreds of pictures every day of interesting design touches applied to these houses. Virtually every urban house is different,... Read more →

Design Touches 3 -- More Gates

Remember from our Design Touches 2 posting that large gates are the primary "face" to the street for the typical Vietnamese house with narrow lots in the cities. The gates provide pedestrian and motorbike access, as well as ventilation when... Read more →

Design Touches 2 -- Gates

This is the second in a series on design touches found around Việt Nam. I like these design touches because they exhibit conscious decision-making. We are so used to standard off-the-shelf solutions in the USA, so it is surprising to... Read more →