Tropical Space

Tropical Space is an architecture firm based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, founded in 2011 by architects Nguyen Hai Long and Tran Thi Ngu Ngon. The practice specializes in urban design, master planning, architecture, and landscape and interior design, with a strong focus on climate-responsive architecture suited to tropical environments. The firm is particularly recognized for its innovative use of brick as a primary material, creating buildings that naturally ventilate and regulate temperature without relying heavily on mechanical systems. The firm's philosophy centers on the idea that architecture in tropical climates must respond to rain, sunlight, and wind, and that inhabitants of tropical areas tend to be open to bringing nature into their living spaces. Tropical Space aims to create living environments where humans share environmental responsibility with their surrounding community. Their work often features perforated brick facades, double-layer walls, green roofs, and natural ventilation strategies inspired by local conditions and traditional Vietnamese building practices. Tropical Space has gained international recognition, including being named the 2022 Spotlight Award recipient by the Rice Design Alliance (RDA) in Houston, Texas—the first Vietnamese firm to receive this honor. The firm's principals have lectured at institutions such as Cornell University, and their projects have been featured in international design publications like Designboom. Beyond practice, Tropical Space is committed to building a local architectural community through discussions, exhibitions, workshops, and networking events. Key projects include the Termitary House in Da Nang, WASP House and LT House in Ho Chi Minh City, Terracotta Studio in Quang Nam Province, and Tam Dao Villa. These projects demonstrate the firm's commitment to affordable, sustainable design for Vietnam's middle class and its exploration of brick architecture as a climate buffer. The firm operates as a private practice and continues to be led by its founding partners.

Tropical Space was founded in 2011 by architects Nguyen Hai Long and Tran Thi Ngu Ngon in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Nguyen Hai Long, born February 14, 1977, holds a Master's degree from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture. Tran Thi Ngu Ngon, born June 27, 1979, holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the same university. At the beginning of their independent practice, the couple shared a small space with an architect friend. Eventually they purchased an apartment in Ho Chi Minh City that serves as both their home and office. They have two children. Their love for brick as a material was discovered soon after founding the firm. Experiences from small applications led to their first all-brick project, the Termitary House. The architecture they developed is adapted to the tropical climate without the use of mechanical systems. They create natural ventilation solutions and use economical and durable materials. The firm's early work focused on affordable housing for Vietnam's middle class, such as the WASP House and LT House in Ho Chi Minh City. These projects demonstrated how brick architecture could serve as a climate buffer while remaining cost-effective. The Termitary House in Da Nang, inspired by termite mounds, showcased a double-layer brick facade with an outer perforated pattern that acts as a temperature buffer and ventilation system, with an inner glass layer protecting against tropical storms. The Terracotta Studio in Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province, further explored brick construction, with a cube-shaped building featuring a perforated brick shell reminiscent of traditional Vietnamese Cham kilns. The design includes a three-story wooden frame structure with modules for displaying ceramic works, elevated to protect against flooding. Over more than a decade, Tropical Space has grown from a small studio into an internationally recognized practice. In 2022, the firm was named the Spotlight Award recipient by the Rice Design Alliance (RDA) in Houston, Texas—the first Vietnamese firm to receive this award. The award recognized their spatial responses to local conditions and their active thinking around mitigation of climate change effects through sustainable, cost- and energy-efficient materials. As part of the award, Tropical Space presented the annual Spotlight Lecture at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The firm's principals have also engaged in academic and community activities. Tran Thi Ngu Ngon lectured at Cornell University in 2021 on 'Brick and Tropical Architecture.' Tropical Space has initiated and organized various community activities including discussions, exhibitions, creative workshops, and open networking events to strengthen ties within the architectural community. The firm aims to broaden its impact beyond independent practice, using architecture as a means to connect people and develop a strong local practical, educational, and research community with other designers.

• 2022

  Tropical Space named 2022 Spotlight Award recipient by Rice Design Alliance, first Vietnamese firm to receive the award.

• 2021

  Tran Thi Ngu Ngon lectures at Cornell University on 'Brick and Tropical Architecture'.

• 2018

  Terracotta Studio completed in Quang Nam Province.

• 2016

  WASP House and LT House completed in Ho Chi Minh City.

• 2014

  Termitary House completed in Da Nang, first all-brick project.

• 2011

  Tropical Space founded by Nguyen Hai Long and Tran Thi Ngu Ngon in Ho Chi Minh City.

Climate-responsive, sustainable architecture using local materials, particularly brick, with a focus on community and environmental responsibility.

• Termitary House

  A residence in Da Nang inspired by termite mounds, featuring a double-layer brick facade with perforated outer pattern for ventilation and temperature buffering.

• WASP House

  An affordable house in Ho Chi Minh City's Binh Tan District, 3.5m x 7m, with a green staircase and vine-covered metal fence.

• LT House

  A minimalist house on a small plot in a new development area, using brick architecture as a climate buffer.

• Terracotta Studio

  A cube-shaped studio for terracotta production in Quang Nam Province, with a perforated brick shell and three-story wooden frame structure.

• Tam Dao Villa

  A three-story holiday residence at the foot of a mountain in Tam Dao town, comprising three square-shaped volumes stacked around an open atrium.

• Chicken Case

  A project designed for an elderly couple moving to the countryside.

1. 1Tropical Space official websitetropicalspaceil.com
2. 2Rice Design Alliance announcementtropicalspaceil.com
3. 3About ustropicalspaceil.com
4. 4Company Newstropicalspaceil.com
5. 5Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6German Wikipediade.wikipedia.org