Nga Nguyen is a final-year architecture student from Vietnam, currently pursuing her Bachelor of Art in Architecture at Vietnamese-German University, collaborating with Anhalt University of Applied Science. During her bachelor studies, she received a wide range of scholarships that supported her education journey. One highlight of her academic experience was being honored to receive a scholarship that funded an architectural summer school at Universita di Pisa in Italy. Recently, Nga has been accepted into an exchange program at Biberach University of Applied Science, supported by the “International and Intercultural Study Program, IIP” scholarship. Her diverse educational background enables her to examine and reflect on her ideas on architecture from a distinct point of view.

Feeling is the desire to create. It is the indefinable urge for self-expression that wells up from within …. Thinking is the means to create.

(Louis Kahn, Beginnings: Louis I. Kahn's Philosophy of Architecture)

Her work intersects the thinking of rationality in form and personal observations from eexperienceby focusing on the atmospheric phenomenon that is tailored with the circumstantial requirements. This process can be understood as an infinite circular loop of observation from feeling to thinking, as feeling is the desire to do and thinking is an act of doing. Feeling serves as the catalyst for thought, while thought provides the motive for designing—creatingan interaction that continuously evolves. She believes that architecture can possibly move individuals’ emotionsthrough their sensory experiences; andshe hopes these experiences help them be conscious of their physical existence.

During her schooling and practicing architecture, she traveled around Europe and Asia for her personal observation. Her journey to these countries has been particularly impactful on her architecture, inspiring her to interpret spaces through a lens of cultural sensitivity and imaginative synthesis. The memories gained from these experiences are often stored as photographs, sketches, and writing. Photography helps her to make an architectural scene frozen with the intentional form; sketches help her to capture her own feeling and perception towards one’s space,and writing then serves to consolidate her ideas alongside these visual notes. She believes that traveling helps her to build her own library of spatial experiences, and the real experiences can foster her own imaginative world and shape her architectural practices.

Nga's academic and professional background is enriched by her extensive experience in the design field and her active involvement in creative fields. She has been the president of O Runde - Art, Science, and Space club. This environment can be described as a ‘playground’ - where abstract ideas and concepts are transformed into tangible projects, showcasing her ability to bridge imagination with practice.

Her creative fields:

• His-story (March-2024) - Movie screening series about architectsand architectures: n collaboration between Hamburg HafenCity University, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, and Vietnamese-German University.

• Bỏ (January-2024) - Workshop on Sculpture, PPlaster,and Moss.

• Displacement (December 2023 - Seminar of Architecture and Art Theory In collaboration with and instructed by Dr. Arch Lucio Nardi.

• Volume: In, out and in Between (June-2023) - Workshop series of Architecture Study & Model-making for high school students In cooperation with Viet Anh high school (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam Australia International School (Ho Chi Minh City) and Nam Sai Gon highschool (Ho Chi Minh City).

• Tỏ (January-2023) - Workshop on Lighting Art.

• Ỏ Trỏng (June-2022) - Workshop on Concrete Sculpture.

• Đương và Địa (March-2022) - Field trip and workshop of Collage Art In cooperation with the Architecture Department of Vietnamese-German University.

• Ỏ Kìa Texture (December-2021) - Campaign and Photography.

Nga is dedicated to advancing her expertise in writing, with the focus on the realm of architecture, architectural theory, art, and travel. She feels that through writing, she is able to communicate complex ideas effectively with others—whohold the same concern. By sharing her insights on these fields, Nga aims to foster meaningful discussions and deepen understanding among individuals and build a more solid foundation and background for her.