Hoang Thuc Hao received the title Architect of the Year during the 2015 Ashui Awards ceremony held on January 14 in Hanoi.

Naman Spa, designed by MIA Design Studio, was named Building of the Year 2015. (Photo: ashui.com)

The annual Ashui Awards for architects and buildings has been supported by the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association (VUPDA) since 2012.

The awards honour architects who have designed or built outstanding structures. They also honour their contribution Vietnamese architecture as a whole, according to Le Viet Ha, Chairman and founder of Ashui.com, an official VUPDA website.

"The award acts as a guide for architectural practice, consultants and real estate developers who have contributed to the society," he said.

The nominations for the awards started in August. A council of prestigious architects and experts selected official nominees in a voting process with nearly 16,000 votes. The results are based on public selection through the awards' official website and the council's judgment.

Hao was born in 1971. He's a lecturer at the National University of Civil Engineering, and a co-founder and lead architect of studio 1+1>2.

He's well-known within the Vietnamese architecture community for social construction projects, like community houses in the northern provinces of Hoa Binh and Lao Cai.

He and his studio won the award at the World Architecture Festival for civil community-building in Cam Thanh commune, Hoi An city.

The award Building of the Year went to Naman Spa within the Naman Retreat Resort in Da Nang. It was designed by MIA Design Studio.

Naman Spa is a tranquil oasis at a resort in Ngu Hanh Son district. All areas in the spa are merged together with the natural landscape.

"The facade was created with crossed and interspersed motifs, with vertical landscapes that reduce the affect from tropical sunlight, creating a balance between light and dark on very decorative walls," Ha remarked.

All local plants were carefully arranged, forming an integral part of the architecture. Naman Spa also won international awards in Turkey, UK and Azerbaijan last year.

This year, the Ashui Awards have added two more categories – Contractor and Developer of the Year. These went to Sieu Chung Ky JSC and Kien A Group, respectively.

Sieu Chung Ky JSC, established in 1997, has two factories in Hanoi and HCM City. It produces wood products for exportation and designs, and builds furniture for five-star hotels, offices and advanced buildings.

Kien A Group developed advanced schools and modern residences during its 21-year history.

VNA