Within the unfolding chronicle of global design, few figures evoke as much quiet reverence as Dr. VO TRONG NGHIA. A virtuoso of green architecture, his oeuvre defies architectural conventions, marrying nature and structure with an elegance that speaks louder than steel and concrete ever could. In an extraordinary alignment of ethos and vision, CIVRO is honoured to unveil Dr. VO and his distinguished studio, VTN Architects, as the master planners behind CIVRO’s immersive showcases at the 2025 and 2026 editions of Guangzhou Design Week.
Dr. VO's influence ripples far beyond borders. He is not merely a designer, but an ideologue of ecological harmony, his work a symphony of sustainability and cultural introspection. The invitation to sculpt CIVRO’s exhibition spaces is more than a commission—it is a convergence of mutual aspirations. Where Dr. VO’s ingenuity meets CIVRO’s architectural rigour, a new design vernacular emerges: one that speaks of responsibility, precision, and artistic resolve.
This partnership holds profound resonance. For CIVRO, it is a testament to the company’s pursuit of refined excellence and its commitment to advancing architectural discourse. For VTN, it is a canvas unbound—a chance to orchestrate narrative architecture within an industry-defining forum. Their alliance brings with it not just prestige, but a deep-rooted synchronicity of purpose.
“CIVRO's systems startled us—in the best way. Their finesse transformed conceptual ambition into realised craftsmanship, allowing our visions to not merely materialise, but to transcend expectations.”
Reflecting on the collaborative experience, the VTN team remarked.
Dr. VO’s extraordinary career is ornamented with a constellation of international accolades—each a reflection of his unrelenting vision and architectural conviction. As of June 2025, he has amassed more than 160 global honours. Among them are 33 awards from the Green Good Design programme, an affirmation of his deep-rooted commitment to sustainable design. His portfolio also boasts 20 International Architecture Awards (IAA), 9 recognitions from the Dezeen Awards, and 6 distinctions at the World Architecture Festival (WAF). He has also secured 7 Gold Medals from ARCASIA between 2007 and 2019.
Further illuminating his stature, Dr. VO was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2012—a nod to his role not only as a designer but as a changemaker. In 2016, he received the prestigious Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands, honouring his contribution to culture and development through architecture. In 2021, his celebrated project “The Binh House” received the Wallpaper* Design Award for Best Private House—an embodiment of his principles of light, ventilation, and verdant integration.
Among his hallmark works, the Farming Kindergarten stands as a living metaphor—an arcadian school where children are surrounded by edible gardens and open skies. The House for Trees series reclaims urban space for nature, planting green lungs in concrete jungles. The Vietnam Pavilion for Milan Expo 2015 evoked bamboo delicacy and vernacular wisdom in a global conversation. Each project is more than a structure; it is a gesture toward harmony, a reclamation of human-nature equilibrium.
In this rare confluence of minds and methods, CIVRO and Dr. VO TRONG NGHIA do not merely create an exhibition—they provoke a dialogue, one that speaks to tomorrow’s built environment with clarity, conviction, and contemplative grace.
Image credits: ArchDaily (will be removed upon request if copyright infringement is involved).
