{
  "id": 14587853,
  "title": "Global design expertise meets a more sophisticated Vietnam market",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/global-design-expertise-meets-a-more-sophisticated-vietnam-market",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-15T02:00:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Vietnam Investment Review",
    "slug": "vietnam-investment-review",
    "url": "https://vir.com.vn/global-design-expertise-meets-a-more-sophisticated-vietnam-market-160825.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Vietnam is emerging as a highly strategic market for real estate and hospitality development, characterized by a shift towards quality, differentiation and long-term value. Dewan Architects, a leading international design firm, recognizes the growing sophistication of Vietnam's market players in terms of design, branding, operations and user experience. This shift, combined with Vietnam's strong fundamentals as a tourism destination and rapidly developing urban centers, presents a compelling opportunity for Dewan to contribute its international expertise while respecting local identity.\n\nDewan Architects, ranked fourth globally in hospitality, brings over 40 years of experience across various markets, including international hotel operators, design standards, guest experience, planning efficiency, sustainability strategies and large-scale project delivery. However, Dewan believes the key to successful implementation lies in understanding why a standard exists and adapting it to the local climate, culture, regulations, construction environment and commercial model. Sustainability, for instance, should not merely appear sustainable, but should also reduce resource consumption, improve comfort and remain practical to operate and maintain throughout the project's lifecycle.\n\nDesigning for Vietnam requires a deep understanding of its unique climate, culture, development economics, construction practices and rapidly changing consumer expectations. For instance, Vietnam's climate significantly influences design aspects such as orientation, shading, materials, landscapes and maintenance. Cultural behaviors also differ markedly from other international markets, affecting how people utilize public spaces, restaurants, residential amenities and hospitality environments. Moreover, local factors such as budgets, procurement, supply chains, construction capabilities and approval processes must be thoroughly understood for effective project execution.\n\nA prime example of Dewan's approach is the TUI BLUE Han River project in Danang, where the firm had to harmonize the requirements of an international brand with the specific Vietnamese context. This entailed considering climate, views, guest experience, operational flows and the hotel's relationship with its urban setting. The project underscores Dewan's philosophy: international standards serve as quality benchmarks, while local conditions determine how these benchmarks are translated into practical, locally appropriate designs. This distinction is crucial in Vietnam, as blindly copying solutions from other markets can result in technically sound projects that fail to resonate locally or perform effectively.\n\nInvestors seeking international design consultancy firms should focus on the firm's understanding of their sector, its collaborative capabilities with local operators and consultants, its delivery experience, and its grasp of the project's commercial objectives. Dewan seeks to become a long-term design partner in Vietnam, leveraging international knowledge, challenging assumptions when necessary, comprehending local realities and aiding clients in creating projects that are both distinctive and commercially relevant. The ultimate goal is to elevate standards, not to make every project look identical, but to ensure each project is finely tuned to its users, location and long-term purpose. As Vietnam's real estate market matures, the fusion of international expertise with local market understanding will become increasingly pivotal, shifting investor focus from mere aesthetics to design's role in supporting long-term value, performance and relevance.",
  "summary": "Freek Jansen Southeast Asia regional manager at Dewan Architects spoke with em VIR em s Thanh Van about Vietnam s market potential the factors shaping project decisions and how Dewan approaches its role as a long term design partner in the country",
  "key_points": [
    "Vietnam's real estate and hospitality market shifts towards quality and differentiation.",
    "Dewan Architects, global leader in hospitality, brings 40+ years of international expertise."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The integration of international design standards with localized cultural and climatic knowledge signals a shift toward prioritizing long-term asset performance over mere aesthetics in Vietnam's maturing real estate market.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}