Vo Trong Nghia

The Department of Architecture welcomes Vo Trong Nghia for his lecture, "Architecture and Meditation: A Path to Healing Mind and Planet." 

"You cannot heal the Earth with a mind that is wounded, restless, anxious, and fearful. A mind caught in the past or the future, rarely present in the moment, is a mind in need of healing. If your mind is unbalanced and disconnected, how can you use architecture to heal the Earth?
We are currently facing the immense challenge of climate change and its severe consequences. Meanwhile, our minds are often distracted by trivial matters like social media, the internet, television, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. These distractions pull us away from the present and disconnect us from reality.
To heal the Earth, the first step is to heal our minds. Meditation and mindfulness are pathways to achieving calmness, peace, and balance within ourselves. When our minds are stable and harmonious, we can create architectural spaces that respect and nurture the planet.
Once we cultivate a steady and peaceful mind, we can design better architectural projects that not only minimize harm to the environment but also contribute to healing the Earth. These projects can incorporate sustainable practices, utilize renewable energy, protect ecosystems, and create harmony between humanity and nature.
Only by healing our minds can we begin the journey of healing our planet through meaningful actions, starting with the spaces we build. Through mindful architecture, we can inspire a deeper connection between people and the Earth, fostering a future of balance and sustainability."

Born in Vietnam in 1976, Dr. Vo Trong Nghia graduated in Architecture from the University of Tokyo with the Furuichi Kimitake Prize 2004 for the top master thesis of the year, as well as the University of Tokyo’s President’s Award for academic achievement during his doctoral thesis. Despite the praise, Dr. Nghia quit his PhD to return to Vietnam to establish VTN Architects in 2006. He later earned a PhD from Waseda University in Tokyo.

Since then, VTN Architects has become a leading practice in the world, receiving 154 international awards for his pioneering works in green and bamboo architecture. Amongst the many awards are prestigious ones such as The Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands in 2016. The World Economic Forum selected Dr. Nghia as a Young Global Leader in 2014. He has received Gold Medals seven times from ARCASIA, The Architects Regional Council Asia in 2019, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2011, and 2007. He has been named Architect of The Year by Deezen in 2019. He has received Building of the Year 2014 Award for Dailai Bamboo Complex from ARCASIA for the best building of 2014. He has won seven prizes at World Architecture Festival in 2018, 2017, 2014, and 2012. Recently, he has won Interior of the Year 2020 from Masterprize. He received a Wallpaper Design Awards 2021 from the UK.

Dr. Nghia has given lectures internationally to prestigious institutions like University of Sydney, Harvard University, Columbia University, Cambridge University, etc. He talked twice at Australian Institute of Architects.

His achievement has been recognized by international media such as CNN, NHK, BBC, etc. He is well-published, with a+u from Japan or Arquitectura Viva from Spain dedicating entire issues for projects by VTN Architects. His works are published as 3 monographs from the US about bamboo architecture, green architecture, and houses.

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