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The Great Wall of South Vietnamese Modernism

A photographic documentation of the Mekong Delta’s overlooked modernist architecture—over 150 buildings captured.


Few would expect South Vietnam to house one of the world’s richest collections of modernist architecture—yet it does. Over three weeks, I explored the Mekong Delta camera in hand, building a visual archive of more than 150 modernist structures across the region, revealing the sheer scale of this hidden architectural heritage.

This page is my tribute to the visionary Vietnamese architects who reimagined modernism for a tropical climate and whose work deserves global recognition.

As you explore these photos, you’ll uncover the variety and creativity of South Vietnamese modernism, including its distinctive sun-shading and ventilation techniques. 

Want more? The ‘Vietnamese Modernist Architecture’ Facebook group (33k members) is a goldmine for daily building discoveries.

Written and photographed by Alexandra van der Essen  

Shophouses & apartments

Ho Chi Minh City

South Vietnamese modernist townhouses in Ho Chi Minh City, showcasing perforated concrete ventilation blocks and sculptural facades.
A collection of mid-century modernist buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, with cantilevered balconies and sun-shading pergolas.
Mid-century modernist architecture in Ho Chi Minh City, blending functionalist sun-shading with expressive tropical design elements

Can Tho

Can Tho's unique adaptation of modernism, with modular balconies, concrete louvers, and colorful tiled exteriors.
Mid-century modernist shophouses in Can Tho, integrating passive cooling techniques with decorative sun-shading panels.
Tropical modernist architecture in Can Tho, Vietnam, featuring open-air terraces, decorative facades, and functionalist brise-soleil.

Chau Doc

Brutalist-inspired commercial buildings in Chau Doc, showcasing geometric balconies and passive cooling strategies for hot climates.
South Vietnamese modernist apartments in Chau Doc with raw concrete textures, patterned ventilation blocks, and integrated greenery.
Expressive modernist buildings in Chau Doc, Vietnam, with sculptural concrete screens and layered sun-shading techniques.

Vinh Long

Vinh Long’s mid-century modernist shophouses, integrating decorative geometric motifs and functionalist elements.
Tropical adaptation of modernism in Vinh Long, featuring perforated concrete screens and open-air corridors for natural ventilation.

Long Xuyen

South Vietnamese modernist buildings in Long Xuyen, featuring angular balconies, sun-shading overhangs, and concrete louvers.

Tan Chau

Tropical modernist townhouses in Tan Chau, Vietnam, with expressive façade designs, deep-set windows, and decorative grilles

Ben Tre

Brutalist and modernist architecture in Ben Tre, Vietnam, with cantilevered terraces, ornamental ventilation blocks, and passive cooling features.

Sa Dec

Brutalist and modernist architecture in Ben Tre, Vietnam, with cantilevered terraces, ornamental ventilation blocks, and passive cooling features.

Villas

Vinh Long

Modernist architecture in Vinh Long, Vietnam, with stacked balconies, brise-soleil, and intricate latticework on facades.
Modernist villas in Vinh Long, Vietnam, with cantilevered concrete structures, large terraces, and decorative pergolas for sun protection.

Sa Dec

Tropical modernist homes in Sa Dec, combining mid-century architectural principles with passive cooling solutions.

Ben Tre

Public & corporate buildings

Ho Chi Minh City

Can Tho University

Brutalist public buildings in South Vietnam, featuring modular concrete elements, large open-air corridors, and deep-set sun-shading techniques.
Can Tho University’s modernist campus, designed with geometric concrete patterns and passive ventilation features.

Vinh Long

Mid-century modernist government and corporate buildings in South Vietnam, blending functionalist design with decorative façade elements.

Ben Tre

A modernist movie theater in Ben Tre, Vietnam, with bold geometric forms and raw concrete materials reflecting Brutalist influences.

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One response to “The Great Wall of South Vietnamese Modernism”

  1. South Vietnam: The World’s Modernist Laboratory – cleopatella Avatar
    South Vietnam: The World’s Modernist Laboratory – cleopatella

    […] The alphabet of South Vietnamese modernism: endless combinations of tropical elements creating a richer, more expressive modernism. The first building perfectly illustrates this vocabulary: vertical brise soleil, pergola crowning the top floor, and a double-wall balcony with side louvers, all working together for shade and ventilation. Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Chau Doc, Long Xuyen and Tan Chau. You can view my full collection of over 150 modernist building photographs here. […]

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