Working between the United States and Vietnam, Studio Khoa Vu is a younger apply that makes it into the Wallpaper* Architects’ Listing 2026, our newest annual round-up of thrilling rising structure studios.
Who: Studio Khoa Vu
Architect Khoa Vu based his namesake apply in 2023, spanning structure, interiors, and spatial installations. Studio Khoa Vu’s purpose is to discover structure as a ‘house between construction, environment, object, and atmosphere’. The apply operates between educating, analysis, and constructed work, permitting concepts to maneuver fluidly between experimentation and development.
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Khoa Vu grew up in Vietnam. Transferring in the direction of worldwide work sparked an curiosity in how spatial traditions evolve by on a regular basis life, climate, and materials economies. A lot of his tasks start by learning spatial heritage, akin to neglected constructing varieties and vernacular homes, and ask how these concepts is likely to be reinterpreted right this moment.
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
‘Working between the US and Southeast Asia additionally provides a particular vantage level,’ says the architect. ‘The studio navigates quickly altering city situations whereas remaining attentive to vernacular intelligence and cultural continuity.’
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
The largest affect on the studio is the standard homes in Southeast Asia, as they have been developed over generations. This resulted in refined responses to local weather, and the fabric financial system. Coupled with this, the apply works between structure and artwork, creating tasks which can be culturally rooted, but additionally stability modern exploration.
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
What: Lunar Cavern
Lunar Cavern in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, Vietnam is an ideal instance of a residence grounded in tradition and local weather. The studio labored alongside their musician-artist shopper to remodel the 150-square-meter duplex residence.
The moon and its cycles have been the principle supply of inspiration. The inside flows with clean, curved plastered partitions, which create a cave-like environment. The residence, which is split throughout two flooring, additionally manifests itself in two distinct design identities.
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Impressed by the brilliant facet of the moon, the doorway corridor and residing space invite openness and lightweight all through. It’s a light interaction of dynamic motion and top with fluid curvature and double-height areas. The arched detailing attracts the attention in, elevating a magnifying glass to the rough-textured surfaces speckled with daylight.
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Upstairs, the darkish facet of the moon casts its shadowy affect. Up a spiralling staircase, guests will uncover a moody, Venetian-red studio house designed for deep artistic work. The darkness provides consolation, moderately than austerity, inviting artistic introspection and an intimate retreat from town. These carved openings layer mild, shadow, and depth whereas framing selective views towards the Saigon River.
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Why: Architects Listing 2026
When the Wallpaper* Architects’ Listing was conceived in 2000, it was constructed as our bespoke worldwide index of rising architectural expertise. Now in its twenty fifth version, our annual itemizing of promising practices from throughout the globe (now comprising over 500 alumni) champions the perfect and most promising younger studios – a snapshot of expertise showcasing inspiring work from all corners of the Earth with an emphasis on the residential realm.
This yr’s anniversary survey contains 30 younger studios (one for every of the 30 years of Wallpaper*), from Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Ecuador, Ghana, Greece, France, Ivory Coast, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, India, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. Welcome to the promise, concepts and thrilling structure of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Listing 2026.
(Picture credit score: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
