Participation in the 15th Engaging with Vietnam International Conference in Hanoi
Dr. Architect Huỳnh Văn Khang represented the Institute of Smart City and Management (ISCM) at the 15th International Conference “Engaging with Vietnam”, held in Hanoi under the theme:“Knowledge Production, Creative Industries, Education, and the AI Age in Vietnam: Looking Back and Moving Forward.”
The conference is a well-established international academic forum that brings together interdisciplinary discussions on social sciences and humanities, arts, creative industries, media, digital transformation, sustainability, and cultural heritage in the contemporary Vietnamese context. It aims to strengthen scholarly dialogue and collaboration between Vietnamese and international researchers, academics, and practitioners. The conference was jointly organized by Engaging With Vietnam and the School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts, Vietnam National University – Hanoi, and took place from 12 to 16 December 2025 in Hanoi. The program included nearly 10 plenary sessions, 45 parallel sessions, and a wide range of cultural and artistic activities designed in alignment with the conference’s overarching theme.
Members of the panel session on “Age-Friendly Public Spaces”
The panel discussion session
Within the conference framework, Dr. Huỳnh Văn Khang presented a paper entitled: “Shaded Spaces and Human Activities in Tropical Urban Alleys: A Case Study in Ho Chi Minh City,” as part of the session on Age-Friendly Public Spaces.The research examined the role of shaded spaces in urban alleys in Ho Chi Minh City—a high-density tropical metropolis heavily affected by urban heat island phenomena and intense solar radiation. The study demonstrated that shaded environments, particularly those created through vegetation and adaptable shading structures, play a critical role in improving thermal comfort, public health, and everyday social activities of residents. The research highlighted urban alleys as essential forms of micro-public spaces, emphasizing the importance of integrating shading strategies into sustainable and climate-responsive urban design approaches.
Dr. Architect Huỳnh Văn Khang with the editorial team
During the closing session of the conference, the organizers also introduced the forthcoming book Living with Heritage in Contemporary Vietnam, edited by Stan BH Tan-Tangbau, Phạm Quỳnh Phương, and Trần Thị An. Dr. Huỳnh Văn Khang contributed a chapter focusing on passive architectural strategies in traditional Cham houses in the Mekong Delta region.The book is scheduled for publication in January 2026 as part of the Global Vietnam Series, a collaborative initiative between Engaging With Vietnam and Springer Nature, and is expected to contribute significantly to the international dissemination of scholarly research on Vietnam.
Content and photos: ISCM