Vo Trong Nghia

Vo Trong Nghia is a Vietnamese contemporary architect. He studied architecture at Nagoya

Institute of Technology in Japan and later earned his master's degree at the University of Tokyo.
In 2006, he established his architectural firm named VTN Architects, based in Ho Chi Minh city.
VTN Architects is one of the leading contemporary architectural firms in Vietnam. He manages
his firm remotely as he is currently staying at a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar. His design
philosophy focuses on achieving a peaceful design that speaks clarity through the infusion of
nature and vernacular and modern building material and method. Complex bamboo trusses, lush
greeneries integrated into the building, and sustainable building methodologies characterizes his
style of architecture. Through his style, he is pushing bamboo architecture and the regional
architecture of his country forward.

In 2014, Vo Trong Nghia, together with his firm, won the ARCASIA building of the year - a
prestigious recognition for Asian architects who displayed commendable work in the field. The
project that made him won the award was his design for the 2009 Bamboo wing of the Dalai
bamboo complex. Through this project, Vo Trong Nghia explored the versatility of bamboo as a
material. The aesthetic of complex bamboo trusses and the structural capabilities of bamboo
allowed him to create a design that infuses aesthetic elements and structural elements seamlessly.
The absence of additional vertical structural members helped created an open plan that is flexible
enough to accommodate different types of events such as weddings. Water features and
landscaping compliments the whole project, which created a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

About Us: VTN Architects: Vo Trong Nghia Architects. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.vtnarchitects.net/about-us

King, V. (2012, March 27). Bamboo Wing / VTN Architects. Retrieved from

https://www.archdaily.com/219880/bamboo-wing-vo-trong-nghia

Lubell, S. (2019, October 10). Designed for Serenity, With Nature in Mind. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/10/arts/design/vo-trong-nghia-architecture.html

Stott, R. (2014, June 29). Vo Trong Nghia Wins ARCASIA Building of the Year. Retrieved from

https://www.archdaily.com/521995/vo-trong-nghia-wins-arcasia-building-of-the-year
Pablo Antonio

Pablo Antonio is a Filipino architect that pushed the development of the country's architecture to
modernity. He started studying architecture at Mapua institute of technology. However, Pablo
Antonio dropped out due to the financial challenges that he faced. Pablo Antonio was able to
continue his education through the help of Don Ramon Ravelo. He handled several notable
projects in the history of Philippine architecture, such as the remodeling of the houses of
President Quezon and Vice President Osmena. Similar to every modern architect of his time, his
design philosophy revolves around the importance of function. He once pointed out this by
stating, "For our father, every line must have a meaning, a purpose. For him, function comes
first before elegance or form." Art Deco - an architectural design style that emerged during his
time influenced his design language. His style defined by clean, continuous lines speaks
differently from the Neoclassicist style that dominated the architectural scene in the country at
the start of the 20th century. In 1976, he was posthumously awarded as a National Artist for
architecture. 

One of his notable works was the buildings of Far Eastern University-Manila. One of the
buildings he designed for Far Eastern University was the Nicanor Reyes Hall which houses the
university's library. The intersection of bulky vertical elements and horizontal blocks creates a
playful impression of stability which accentuates the facade of the Nicanor Reyes Hall.
Currently, the university perhaps holds the largest conglomeration of buildings designed by
Pablo Antonio. Moreover, these buildings are also the most extensive collection of Art Deco
buildings in Manila. 

(n.d.). Retrieved from

https://web.archive.org/web/20080317011117/http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about_cultarts/cultprofile

/natarts/architecture/antonio.php

Generalao, M., & De Villa, K. (2019, June 01). Structural marvels of learning. Retrieved from

https://business.inquirer.net/271779/structural-marvels-of-learning

Inquirer, P. D. (2014, March 27). Did you know: Pablo S. Antonio. Retrieved from

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/589375/did-you-know-pablo-s-antonio

Order of National Artists: Pablo S. Antonio. (2019, April 10). Retrieved from

https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-
 philippines/pablo-s-antonio/#:~:text=Antonio believes that buildings “should,and should

eternally recreate truth.”

Tejada, C. (2016, August 17). Architect Heroes: 3 Art Deco Buildings by Pablo S. Antonio.

Retrieved from https://www.realliving.com.ph/lifestyle/arts-culture/architect-heroes-3-art-decor-

buildings-by-pablo-s-antonio-a40-20160818

Vann Molyvann

Vann Molyvann is a Cambodian architect that contributed to the development of the post-
colonial architecture of Cambodia. In 1946, went to France to pursue architecture at Paris’s
Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. After quite some time, Prince Norodom Sihanouk
appointed him as Cambodia's state architect. After the Cambodian civil war, he went into exile in
Switzerland and returned to Cambodia in 1991. Aside from his direct contribution to the
development of architecture in Cambodia, he also contributed to the development of the urban
landscape of Cambodia, as he was the urban planner of Phnom Penh. His design philosophy
revolved around the idea of translating indigenous design elements and heritage into modernity.
He once highlighted this by stating, "Modernity should not be inspired superficially by western
ideas that destroy all traces of the past," he also added, "New building should bring tradition and
heritage back to life."

Throughout his career, he designed around 100 buildings and monuments in Cambodia. One of
them was the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh. It is one of the best examples of his
work that resonates with his design philosophy. Molyvann employed elements of Ancient Khmer
architecture and gave it a modern translation through the implementation of modern building
materials such as concrete. He also used red crushed marbles, which makes the monument pop
from its surrounding.

And, H. G. (2003, November 07). The enigma of the Independence Monument. Retrieved from

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/enigma-independence-monument
Meet Vann Molyvann. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.vannmolyvannproject.org/meet-vann-

molyvann

Vann Molyvann obituary. (2017, October 17). Retrieved from

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/oct/17/vann-molyvann-obituary

Wallace, J. (2017, September 28). Vann Molyvann, Architect Who Shaped Cambodias Capital, Dies

at 90. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/28/obituaries/vann-molyvann-dead-

architect-who-shaped-phnom-penh.html

Dr. Tan Loke Mun

Dr. Tan Loke Mun is a contemporary Malaysian architect. He obtained his degree in architecture
at Deakin University and later earned his doctorate at the University of Melbourne. He is known
for his contributions to the development and regulation of the practice of architecture in
Malaysia. From 1998 to 2000, he developed the first CPD program for practicing architects in
Malaysia, making the country the first in Asia to adopt such a program. He also received several
awards due to his sustainability-leaning design philosophy, which is evident with most of his
projects. His design philosophy focuses on giving regional architecture an interpretation of
modernity. In this context, sustainability merges with regional aspects of architecture in which
the two compliments each other's elements.

One of his known works is the S11 house. It is the first building in Malaysia to have a Green
Building Index rating of platinum. Its design emanates the design philosophy of Dr. Tan Loke
Mun, as most strategies used in its design focuses on sustainability. One of the strategies used
was the reuse of building materials from the demolished building that occupied the site. For
example, the gravel fill for the project used the crushed concrete roof tiles from the demolished
building. Another sustainable strategy present in the project is the utilization of passive cooling
through the turbine-assisted stack effect.

About. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://drtanlokemun.com/about/

Ar-Dr-Tan-LM-Profile-Bio-and-CV-Oct-2019.pdf [PDF]. (n.d.).
S11 House / ArchiCentre. (2013, January 02). Retrieved from

https://www.archdaily.com/313041/s11-house-archicentre