Registration open for International workshop: Non-violent Communication for Architecture students
In an increasingly complex urban context, designers are not only responsible for shaping physical spaces but also for facilitating dialogue among diverse stakeholders, including local communities, investors, government authorities, and other actors. Architectural interventions - especially in areas with historical and cultural value - often involve debates and conflicting perspectives.
To equip students in the Architecture and Smart Urban Design program with the necessary skills to navigate these challenges, the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM), University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), is organizing the international workshop:
Non-violent Communication for Architecture Students – From Dialogue to Human-Centered Design
The workshop will be led by international expert Dr. Els Hannes, Faculty of Architecture and Arts, Hasselt University, Belgium. It aims to help students understand and apply the Non-Violent Communication (NVC) approach, a communication framework based on empathy and human connection, within interpersonal interactions as well as in the processes of architectural design and intervention.
During the workshop, students will be introduced step by step to the four core components of the NVC framework:
Observation – Identifying phenomena and issues within architectural and urban spaces in an objective manner.
Feeling – Understanding and recognizing the emotions of different stakeholders involved in urban development processes.
Needs – Analyzing the needs of communities, users, and other actors.
Strategies – Proposing architectural and design interventions that aim to balance and harmonize the interests of multiple stakeholders.
In addition to theoretical sessions, students will participate in group discussions, hands-on exercises, and field observation activities at representative urban locations in Ho Chi Minh City, places where historical architecture and contemporary interventions coexist and interact.
Through these activities, students will not only develop communication and teamwork skills but also learn how to analyze and present architectural interventions from a human-centered and multi-perspective approach.
At the end of the workshop, each student group will present an analysis of a specific architectural case or urban space through the lens of the NVC framework.
This activity enables students to:
Enhance academic presentation and critical discussion skills
Gain a deeper understanding of the social role of designers in urban development
Explore human-centered design approaches in architecture and urbanism
Benefits:
Certificate of participation
Recognized as a mandatory activity with the opportunity to improve grades in the course Cultural Heritage Management & Conservation within the Architecture and Smart Urban Design program
Record point of ethics and social activity
Development of English communication, teamwork, and academic presentation skills
Broader perspectives on communication and conflict resolution in architecture and urban contexts
Event Information
Date: 13 – 17/04/2026
Participants: ISCM students
Location: Tentatively at UEH Campus B, 279 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street
Registration deadline: 23:59 – March 20, 2026
Registration link: https://forms.gle/UWRLrvY6WqqesiD28