BRINGING VIETNAMESE ARCHITECTURE TO THE WORLD

The smart city in the north of Hanoi, Vinh - Cua Lo Boulevard, and unique golf courses are all works of special architectural significance in Vietnam. Behind these important projects is Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Chairwoman of BRG Group, who develops such projects with the vision of an entrepreneur and the enthusiasm of an architect.

At the forum “Architecture with Enterprises - For the Development of Vietnamese Architecture" organized within the framework of the 10th Congress of the Vietnam Association of Architects for 2020-2025, enterprises and leading architects had extremely lively and useful discussions on the interaction and mutual support between the two sides, and at the same time provided suggestions to help tighten and promote the effective relationship between enterprises and architect professions.

To mark the occasion, Madame Nga spoke with the Vietnam Association of Architects.

1. As an entrepreneur known for big projects with unique and modern architecture, could you share what pushed you to develop such projects?

Architecture is the symbol and face of each country or city that has works for people to be proud of and for visitors to remember. Therefore, the development of architecture in Vietnam is the glory of architects and of all lovers of the homeland.

For me, a university student of economics, I became an entrepreneur working in many different fields but I have a special affection for architecture. When developing real estate projects, I see it as an opportunity to practice my passion for architecture so that the project, in addition to bringing socioeconomic benefits, will create a special appearance for the area.

I don't have deep expertise, but I also have a bit of talent and love for architecture, so I take advantage of every opportunity to learn by observing architectural works around the world, combining with hands-on experience to develop ideas. Then, the architects are the ones who will help me turn the idea into a practical product.

It can also be said that architecture brings endless inspiration to me, so in addition to the projects that everyone knows about, BRG Group and I continue to implement other big projects with the idea of the ​​​​architectural design of international scale and standard to contribute to the enhancement of Vietnamese architecture.

And in order for our projects to reach international standards, we had to spend a lot of human resources on the design. In addition to having a team of very good domestic architects, we also hire the world's leading design consultants to jointly develop our projects. This will help BRG Group's products both achieve the highest architectural standards in the world and harmonize with the usage characteristics and actual conditions in Vietnam.

2. With a great love for architecture, how do you minimize the gap between businesses and design consultants on vision strategy, design approach, and methodology?

Investors and design consultants or architects will all want to bring to the market valuable products in many aspects such as applicability, beautiful architectural language, and being suitable for planning.

However, there are still gaps that need designed solutions to meet the needs of the investor, while still having to ensure compliance with legal regulations on planning and construction. To overcome these gaps, businesses sometimes have to reduce benefits to achieve the criteria proposed by the design consultant.

Most importantly, mutual understanding is required to harmonize the views of the investor and the consultant, looking in the same direction for the products to bring the most value to the community.

3. BRG is a corporation with diversified investments in architectural and urban development projects. What are the successes and challenges in the process of implementing your projects?

Real estate associated with urban development and architecture has been the focus area of ​​BRG Group during nearly three decades of development. Most recently, we officially announced the BRGLand brand for the group's real estate development. The use of the word "land" has a great architectural connotation as, here, it represents "lifestyle architecture for new-age design" with the mission of bringing the most modern and suitable architecture for the lifestyle of each family.

The real estate field for BRG Group is diverse and has architectural and planning imprints such as smart cities, urban areas, coastal resort villas, golf courses, villas and townhouses, luxury apartments, Grade A office towers, and commercial centers. Each project is dedicated to creating works of top value for owners.

With great investment in architectural design and planning in each product, BRG has been continuously honored at domestic and international awards such as the Golden Award for excellent planning on both sides of the Nhat Tan–Noi Bai road, the Special Prize for Golf Course Planning Chain, and a Gold Award for the Sheraton Grand Danang Resort Complex, as well as a Top 10 Excellent Investor at the BCI Awards.

In addition, BRG Group's golf projects are appreciated for their originality and creativity, helped by the world's leading golf designers such as Nicklaus Design and Greg Norman.

However, difficulties when implementing construction investment projects are inevitable. These are objective issues such as weather conditions, topography, and implementing a number of procedures and legal documents. New regulations or inconsistent direction can delay in project implementation and incur capital costs for both investment and construction.

4. What is the difference between international and domestic consultants, and do you have criteria when choosing a consultant or an architect?

Each consulting unit has its own strengths. If foreign consultants have broad-minded thinking and grasp the design trends of the world, Vietnamese design consultants understand the trends of domestic customers, as well as understand about typical weather and topographical conditions of Vietnam.

The criteria for choosing a consulting unit or a design architect depend on the nature of the project or work as well as the business orientation in each given time and period.

As an example in developing golf courses, we chose the world's top golf course designers such as Nicklaus Design and Greg Norman to deliver world-class golf courses that elevate Vietnamese golf and further promote the country’s golf tourism. As for projects in the mid- to high-end residential segment, or civil works and projects, BRG Group will often choose domestic design consultancy units to offer the most suitable design options.

5. As an enterprise pioneering in many fields, how does BRG Group develop quality architecture while still bringing in investment efficiency as well as cultural and social value?

First, architecture must be suitable for the local climate, topography, culture, and for society. After many years of researching and understanding architectural trends, green architecture is a worldwide trend and is in line with Vietnam's development criteria to bring quality works that bring economic efficiency in investment and other values.

Green architecture brings friendliness to nature, thereby protecting the ecosystem and living environment. It is crucial to reduce energy consumption by using natural energy and renewable energy, striving to reduce CO2 emissions. And in line with the orientation of sustainable urban development in Vietnam, the development of green architecture is to contribute to the protection of nature, especially water sources and construction materials; at the same time creating a hygienic and healthy living environment for all.

Moreover, I set a common and consistent philosophy for my projects – that is, to put people as the central factor, taking the goal of serving people to bring a good quality of life, balance the values ​​​​of culture and religion, and ensuring social factors such as education, healthcare, transportation, and other necessary services.

6. What should the Vietnam Association of Architects to do further promote the passion and dedication of strategic investors for the development of Vietnamese architecture?

My group and I always welcome capable domestic design consultants to give Vietnamese architects more and more opportunities to dedicate quality products to the community and society.

At the same time as investors, Vietnamese architects should expand their opportunities to work with international counterparts to learn and exchange experiences together. Vietnamese architects will learn professionalism and be updated with new information on international standards. Besides that, international architects will also learn from our local understanding and dynamism, and find it easier to adapt to different conditions.

And above all, I hope that the prestigious real estate products of BRG Group will develop in the near future thanks to Vietnamese architects’ talents and innovations.

Source: KTSVN

https://kienviet.net/2020/09/25/ba-nguyen-thi-nga-chu-tich-tap-doan-brg-dua-kien-truc-viet-nam-sanh-vai-voi-the-gioi-la-niem-vinh-quang-cua-kien-truc-su-va-doanh-nhan/