Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8 – Tharwa Sea Front Site – Honorable mention Winner: Olivier Souquet

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winner of our Mujassam Watan Urban Sculpture Challenge #8 competition - Tharwa Sea Front Site – Olivier Souquet from Vietnam!

Olivier Souquet with Team

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

In 2016, Olivier Souquet opened DE-SO Asia studio. In Vietnam, DE-SO Asia keeps imposing the predominant strength in Public and Culture Architecture and on Urban Planning throughout many successful projects. DE-SO Asia has collaborated with various private investors and public developers such as the Departments of Construction in different cities to develop complex urban planning areas from small to large scales of both rural and urban zones across the country. Thanks to a wide network of local and international partners, a strong connection of multicultural professional workers in Vietnam and France. DE-SO Asia can offer a complete professional service package in varying industries such as hospitality, residential housings, hospitals, heritage sites etc. Our identity relies on our in-depth expertise in the locality features of different regional areas combined with the “savoir faire” to apprehend and incorporate sophisticatedly these features into our designs and planning works.

Our designs dedicate a special attention attributed to the surrounding environment of each project. The harmonious integration of local practices, cultural functions and local materials is directly shown on each drawing, through which the relationship between geography and geometry is resolved in the fi nest and most optimal way. Together with a dynamic team of 20 people in Vietnam, DE-SO Asia is willing to keep moving forward, to constantly innovate and expand our fields of expertise so that to bring diversified services which are of highest quality standards to our clients in Asia and worldwide.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture competitions?

“Try to understand the genius loci & catch the identity of the existing culture”