Museum of Emotions #5 Honorable mention winner - Manh Le Tran

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the Honorable mention winner of our "Museum of Emotions #5" competition – Manh Le Tran from United States!

Manh Le Tran

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.

I have been practicing architecture since 2015 in Los Angeles (USA), after studying architecture at the University of Southern California and Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture (UAH) in my home country Viet Nam. My fortunate career journey has taken me through a wide spectrum of project types, phases and scales in the US and various Asian countries, ranging from designing a small chair to luxury residential towers. I also have been building my own website at emte.space as a journal of personal and conceptual works.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance, what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where the company/ individuals have been Involved?

I have fortunately been involved in several great projects, working for respected architectural firms located in Los Angeles. Highlights include a cutting-edge laboratory project focusing on Quantum research in Pasadena (USA), another laboratory for human-centered computation for my alma mater USC in Los Angeles (USA) and a pair of high-end residential towers in Dubai (UAE). I maintain an open-mind towards type or scale, as I believe every project would have its own unique design opportunities to explore.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Architecture for me is quite similar to poetry. Poems are usually composed of the very words we use daily. But when put together artistically, these same words could instill an inexplicably sense of beauty or emotions that touch far beyond the mere informational value each of them would convey separately. Similarly, architecture is for me the art of finding ways to put together physical elements so that the final composition would contribute back to our society values that reach far beyond its physicality. In other words, Architects are composers of physical poems.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

Competitions provide me with opportunities to explore new contexts and challenges beyond my daily professional settings. They are excellent moments to reflect not only on proposal ideas but also on my design thinking over the years.

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

Look around for a subject that truly interests you. Excitement will follow quickly.