Architecture/Interior Design Information Session

9 February 2018, Ho Chi Minh City – EuroCham welcomed 20 representatives from Architecture / Interior Design companies operating in Vietnam for an information session with the purpose to explore the opportunity to establish a new Sector Committee as a platform for EuroCham members in the areas of Architecture/Interior Design. The session was conducted simultaneously by Video Conference in HCMC and Hanoi.

On behalf of EuroCham, Ms. Almut Roessner – EuroCham Executive Director – welcomed and introduced briefly EuroCham, its history and mission. As one of the 5 largest European Chamber world-wide, EuroCham Vietnam in recent years has intensified its activities, especially in regards to Advocacy. EuroCham has currently 16 Sector Committees covering multiple industries and cross sector issues like IPR, tax and customs.

One of these Sector Committees, the Green Growth Sector Committee (GGSC) is already covering with its Sustainable Building (SUBU) working group, issues related to energy efficiency and green technologies in buildings. Mr. Bao Nguyen, Vice-Chair of GGSC, reported on the recent activities of the SUBU group e.g. Whitebook, Smart City series, Greenbook and meetings with government officials. Alignment of both groups will be required to avoid overlap and duplication of the scope of the existing and new group.
Ms. F.C. Zeuthen from KAZE, and Mr. Felice Iacobellis from HALO Design who both initiated the idea of this Architecture/Interior Design group shared their vision and ideas covering business, networking and advocacy topics.

Ms. F.C. Zeuthen and Mr. Felice Iacobellis introduced the idea of setting up International Architecture & Design Sector Committee as a forum for discussion and exchange amongst European professionals and those that work closely for European clients. Ms. F.C. Zeuthen also stressed the importance of linking up with the new generation of Vietnamese architects and designers, to promote a more holistic approach for building cities for people and to create a dialogue and to build bridges within and between industry and academia, locally, regionally and internationally. The forum is intended as an open-minded platform for sharing knowledge, sector experience and passion of shaping urban spaces in Vietnam but also as a way to advocate for improved standards, new education programs e.g. industrial design and address legislative challenges as a collective industry group.

Ms. Delphine Rousselet, Project Director of EVBN, also shared her insights especially in interior design, furniture and home décor fashion, and proposed future collaboration between the Architecture/Interior Design Sector Committee and EVBN, especially in regards to the up-coming Eurosphere held in May in HCMC.
Expected to be established in March 2018, companies that are interested to join the Architecture/Interior Design Sector Committee, should contact EuroCham at Ms Thuy Nguyen Xuan (Ms.), Sector Committees Coordinator at xuanthuy.nguyen@eurochamvn.org | Mobile: (84) 123 883 0838
The initiators will be invited to present their proposed missions and objectives together with a list of interested companies at the next Executive Committee meeting on March 8th 2018.