The profession of architecture is essentially a free creative job from a professional perspective, but is tightly bound in terms of professional technical standards.
Architecture is one of the oldest professions in the world with a well-established theoretical foundation and a legal basis for practice. In essence, it is a creative and liberal career; however, it is also strictly bound by technical and professional standards, and architects bear significant responsibility before the law and society. In Vietnam, the architectural profession and the term “architect” first became known in the 1920s when the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine (Indochina College of Fine Arts), established by the French, opened an architecture department to train Vietnamese architects. Yet, a truly professional architectural practice environment has only been developing in the past two decades.
A Difficult Professional Journey
The architecture department at the École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine was established in 1926, aiming to train Vietnamese students to assist French architects in urban planning and architectural design. These students became Vietnam's first generation of architects. Initially, some graduates entered the profession with a relatively liberal practice environment. They could open studios or practice independently—mainly in Hanoi and Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). A degree in architecture was not only proof of professional competence but also held legal value.
However, this period was short-lived. The August Revolution in 1945 changed the political landscape, and by 1946, the nationwide resistance war erupted, plunging the country into prolonged conflict. The École des Beaux-Arts de l'Indochine itself closed in 1945. After peace was restored in the North in 1954, architecture ceased to be a free profession. Architects became government officials, working in state agencies, research institutes, or design bureaus. All projects were state-funded, and architects became salaried public employees. Meanwhile, in the South, political and social instability also hindered the profession.
After the national reunification in 1975, many aspects of society were unified, but the architectural profession continued to face hardships. Only after the Đổi Mới (Renovation) economic reforms in 1986 did architects regain independent status in alignment with a market economy. A few brave pioneers left the public sector and ventured into the private market. The book Who's Who in the Asia Pacific (1997–1998 edition), in its profile of Vietnamese architect Hoang Phuc Thang, acknowledged ADC Architecture Consulting Co., Ltd., founded by him in 1991, as the first private architectural consulting company in Vietnam. Thus, it has only been about 20 years since Vietnamese architects have practiced independently in a market-based framework.
Seeking Paths and Establishing Identity
Still, the transition was not smooth. While the open market mechanism brought opportunities, it also brought challenges. Due to overlapping administrative relationships and the remnants of the “ask–give” mechanism, it was difficult for independent architects or private firms to secure design contracts. State investors preferred familiar state-owned consultancies and old-fashioned practices. Smaller projects, like private homes, often bypassed architects altogether, as homeowners would design and build on their own.
In this transitional period, many architects had to rely on relationships instead of investing in professional development or brand-building, contrary to the true nature of a market economy. Additional challenges included unfair policies and regulations that did not support the private sector or the profession. Private architecture firms, design offices, and freelance architects had to overcome significant hurdles. Only in the past decade has architectural practice in Vietnam stabilized to some extent. The profession and architects have gradually gained recognition. The practice environment has expanded, information has become more accessible, and resources have grown—but so has competition.
Eternal Issues of the Profession
There are many stories surrounding architecture and the practice of architecture, but the most discussed and pressing are those about design quality, project outcomes, and the sensitive issue of design fees—simply put, money.
Let's talk about money first. Architecture is a service industry, and like any business, it cannot ignore financial aspects. To earn more, architects need more projects and higher fees—fees that clients are willing to pay. Without state-mandated price tables, architects have complete freedom to negotiate their fees with clients based on the scope and budget of each project. Each architect or firm may quote differently, adjusting based on the client. Like all businesses, architectural design services must adapt to supply and demand. During busy periods, architects may raise their prices; during quiet times, they may lower them—even undercutting others to win contracts.
Clients shopping for architects are often confused by the wide variation in fees for seemingly similar jobs. While the saying “you get what you pay for” holds true, architectural design is not a tangible product one can judge instantly. While technical aspects of a design can be evaluated, how do you measure creativity—the core of architecture—in monetary terms? Or will clients end up “losing both money and peace of mind”?
The second issue concerns professionalism and design—the heart of the job. Who is responsible for a building's aesthetic success or failure? Logically, it is the architect. But in practice, this is not always true. Most practitioners agree that, although it varies case by case, the project owner plays the most decisive role. Le Corbusier, one of modern architecture's giants, once said: “There are no bad architects, only unintelligent clients.” This ironic statement underscores the importance of the client's role—and that the architect must also “educate” the client, which is no easy task.
It is common for clients, especially in public projects, to impose arbitrary demands on architects. Many dread working on government-funded buildings due to the overbearing nature of such clients. Even in small residential projects, architects are often handed magazines or taken to visit houses with the instruction to “make it look like this.” Such actions reduce architects to mere draftsmen, undermining their creativity and ethical standards. And when bad buildings emerge, no one takes the blame—but society and the urban landscape suffer the consequences.
Professional Recognition
Let us reiterate: Architecture, alongside law and medicine, is one of the oldest professions with a scientific and legal foundation for practice. For architecture to thrive in a healthy, socially beneficial environment, architects must first be officially and professionally recognized. Only when the name is right, can the words be smooth.
Despite current shortcomings, Vietnamese architects are gradually asserting their position in society. The profession is increasingly understood and acknowledged both as a career and a market service. Clients seek architects more frequently and from more diverse sectors. Still, progress takes time and requires effort from all sides. Can we have good architects without strong education? Good buildings without smart investors? Good designs without fair fees? A healthy environment without sound legal frameworks?
It is a complex web of interrelated factors. Yet, above all, the key lies in the individual architect. Practicing in the market, providing a service, and earning a fee—yes. But architects must also create aesthetic, humane, and sustainable value in their designs and help guide society toward truth, goodness, and beauty. This is the noble and unchanging mission of the profession. The most successful architects are those with deep cultural foundations, strong professional skills, and unwavering ethical standards.
— From Architecture & Life Magazin
