Operating between the United States and Vietnam, Studio Khoa Vu is a young practice that makes it into the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026, our latest annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios.
Who: Studio Khoa Vu
Architect Khoa Vu founded his namesake practice in 2023, spanning architecture, interiors, and spatial installations. Studio Khoa Vu’s aim is to explore architecture as a ‘space between structure, atmosphere, object, and environment’. The practice operates between teaching, research, and built work, allowing ideas to move fluidly between experimentation and construction.
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Khoa Vu grew up in Vietnam. Moving towards international work sparked an interest in how spatial traditions evolve through everyday life, weather, and material economies. Many of his projects begin by studying spatial heritage, such as overlooked building types and vernacular houses, and ask how these ideas might be reinterpreted today.
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
‘Working between the United States and Southeast Asia also offers a distinctive vantage point,’ says the architect. ‘The studio navigates rapidly changing urban conditions while remaining attentive to vernacular intelligence and cultural continuity.’
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
The biggest influence on the studio is the traditional houses in Southeast Asia, as they were developed over generations. This resulted in sophisticated responses to climate, and the material economy. Coupled with this, the practice works between architecture and art, creating projects that are culturally rooted, yet also balance contemporary exploration.
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
What: Lunar Cavern
Lunar Cavern in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is a perfect example of a residence grounded in culture and climate. The studio worked alongside their musician-artist client to transform the 150-square-meter duplex residence.
The moon and its cycles were the main source of inspiration. The interior flows with smooth, curved plastered walls, which create a cave-like atmosphere. The residence, which is divided across two floors, also manifests itself in two distinct design identities.
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Inspired by the bright side of the moon, the entrance hall and living area invite openness and light throughout. It is a gentle interplay of dynamic movement and height with fluid curvature and double-height spaces. The arched detailing draws the eye in, raising a magnifying glass to the rough-textured surfaces speckled with sunlight.
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Upstairs, the dark side of the moon casts its shadowy influence. Up a spiralling staircase, visitors will discover a moody, Venetian-red studio space designed for deep creative work. The darkness offers comfort, rather than austerity, inviting creative introspection and an intimate retreat from the city. These carved openings layer light, shadow, and depth while framing selective views toward the Saigon River.
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
Why: Architects Directory 2026
When the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory was conceived in 2000, it was built as our bespoke international index of emerging architectural talent. Now in its 25th edition, our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe (now comprising over 500 alumni) champions the best and most promising young studios – a snapshot of talent showcasing inspiring work from all corners of the Earth with an emphasis on the residential realm.
This year’s anniversary survey includes 30 young studios (one for each of the 30 years of Wallpaper*), from Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Ecuador, Ghana, Greece, France, Ivory Coast, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, India, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. Welcome to the promise, ideas and exciting architecture of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026.
(Image credit: Chuong Nguyen, Phillip Le)
