The Adaptation and Settlement architecture exhibition was held at the TOTO Information Center in Ho Chi Minh City in December 2024. It served as a reflection of what we had collectively explored and accomplished over the years. Throughout the exhibition, we were deeply grateful for the many emails and handwritten notes from visitors – each bringing unique emotions, thoughts, and perspectives to the ongoing conversations around “Adapt” and “Settle”.
In our effort to create a low-waste, environmentally conscious exhibition, we minimized printed materials and single-use items. Instead, key information was shared through a small printed booklet. The display space itself was made up of things we had created or collected over the years: 51 hand-drawn sketches, 23 models, 12 notes and diagrams. The floor tiles were borrowed from a construction site; the display frames were left unfinished so they could be reused later; small potted plants and a variety of low chairs — all of them familiar objects from our homes or the design atelier.
Rather than simply showcasing our projects, the space offered an impression of a Southern Vietnamese home: where people walk barefoot across clay tiles, rest on a shaded veranda with warm tea and a simple homemade treat. At the center of the room lay a woven mat – inviting everyone to sit, slow down, observe, and simply be present. In an increasingly fast-paced world, we hoped that moment, however brief, offered you space to reflect on your own understanding of “Adaptation” and “Settlement.”