Dr. Huynh Van Khang

Lecturer

Khang is a full-time lecturer at the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM) at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City. He is also the founder of the architectural firm Passive Design Laboratory (PDL) based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He pursued his Master’s and Doctoral degrees at the Faculty of Architecture and Design at the University of Shiga Prefecture in Japan. Subsequently, he worked as a post-doctoral research fellow at the same university. Khang served as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts, as well as Head of the Architecture Department at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. He is also a member of the Architectural Design Association of Nippon (ADAN) and the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ).
His expertise encompasses environmental architecture, energy efficiency, environmental simulation, ethnography study and cultural heritage preservation. His work primarily revolves around bioclimatic architectural design, focusing on implementing Passive Design principles. By integrating natural energy sources like wind, sunlight, and heat while considering the local context, Khang strives to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of architectural interventions. His designs seek a balance between inspiration drawn from minimalism and the distinctive vernacular characteristics of Vietnamese architecture. He has received numerous design awards and green building certifications, including the Japan Good Design Awards for passive buildings responding to the tropical hot and humid climate.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Khang enjoys sketching, drawing, calligraphy, and photography. He has held several solo art exhibitions in Ho Chi Minh City, Yokohama, and Osaka, and has participated in art exhibitions for young Japanese artists.