Positioning the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026: Originating architectural creativity
On the afternoon of July 3, 2025, a specialized seminar was held in the 3rd-floor Hall of the Vietnam Association of Architects, organized by the Architecture Magazine of the Vietnam Association of Architects. The goal was to gather experts to discuss architectural ideas for positioning the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026. Chaired by MSc. Bui Thi Thanh Huong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief in charge of the Architecture Magazine at the Vietnam Association of Architects, led the discussion, which attracted participation from architects, managers, and experts in fields such as conservation, planning, and others.
Inspired by the impressive hallmarks of the 2024 Festival season – “Creative Crossroads” (Giao lộ sáng tạo), which featured over 100 creative activities and 850,000 visitors along the Trang Tien street area, the participating delegates deeply analyzed the resources and long-term development potential of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival as an interdisciplinary design platform, bringing together 12 creative industries with 3 overarching pillars: Design, Creativity, and Community.
In her opening remarks, MSc. Thanh Huong affirmed: Architecture is the “backbone,” creating the space and positioning the main activity routes within the festival. Furthermore, to exploit resources from Architectural Heritage within the Creative City, architectural works not only serve to provide space but also suggest creative and sustainable approaches to culture and society in their interaction with the design fields.
In the roadmap for positioning the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026, the direction for the 2025-2026 period is set with the theme “Fusion” (Hợp nhất), divided into two phases: “Sourcing” and “Festival.” The “Sourcing” phase will take place in odd-numbered years, including pre-event activities, and the official festival will be held in even-numbered years.
Architect Nguyen Van Thu suggested making the Bai Giua of the Red River a central route for the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026, with the philosophy of connecting people, nature, and culture, creating an experience rich in poetry and high symbolic value for contemporary Hanoi. Meanwhile, Architect Nguyen Hong Quang—the person in charge of the design concept for the 2024 festival—proposed aiming for sustainable values in architecture so that the designs will endure alongside heritage. He also emphasized that Hanoi has the full potential to become a destination for design festivals of the stature of the Venice Biennale, the Chicago Architecture Biennial, or the Expo.
The richness in approach continued to expand with suggestions for creative interventions in simple, familiar urban spaces such as underpasses, sidewalks, or nearby residential areas.
Dr. Arch. Le Thanh Vinh, former Director of the Institute of Relics Conservation – Ministry of Culture, emphasized the mission of architecture and the Creative Design Festival in developing the Creative City, which is the role of organizing space, creating a creative design environment, and connecting the fields of design, creativity, and community. And, in that process, we, together, promote the development of the cultural industry sector, search for and identify urban spaces, transforming neglected places into creative spaces.
Many other opinions contributed to the content development of the Festival within the Creative City, ranging from the script, positioning of routes, and artistic activities to research and connecting artists. The discussion concluded in an atmosphere of open dialogue, with much expectation placed on the leadership role of architects in shaping the space, identity, and connectivity of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026.