CEO Insights Magazine

Through Mindfulness and Emptiness, an architect can achieve breakthrough ideas”, says Minh Phuc Nguyen, Co- Founder of MPN + Partners. Minh not just believes but also promotes and applies this philosophy of Mindfulness and Emptiness in the architectural design process for every project making every project a work of art.

After graduating from the University of Bath with an Architecture Degree in the UK, Minh joined Foster + Partners in London. He gained a vast range of experience for eight illustrious years in architectural design at London Headquarters and also had the opportunity to represent the company in Vietnam. What gives him an edge over other architects is his vast knowledge of Sustainable Landscape Design and Sustainable Thinking for Green Buildings combined with Feng Shui in Architecture which he has been applying to each project.

A passionate architect, Minh believes in making a serene encounter with reality to bring architecture to people and build a world that is sustainable, and better, and appreciates the chain of life. His approach to pushing architectural design beyond its current boundary has won MPN + Partners several international awards. Let’s hear it from him.

What has been your success mantra in your journey so far?

The journey of MPN began when we, a group of young architects, sat together with a clear vision of offering the kind of architectural design that comes straight from the heart. This thought came to our mind when we realized that most architectural design firms across the world have become highly commercialized. At MPN, our aim is to not put profit on top; whatever we do, we are truly doing everything from our heart and for people. The journey has been challenging but with a passion for creating breakthrough designs in every project, hard work, and persistence we were able to grab multiple opportunities to showcase our talent which ultimately brought us where we are today.

Define MPN + Partners as an organization.

We set ourselves apart from the commercial crowd from the start and we definitely do not wish to walk along the common and traditional path for our architectural practice. Our practice emphasizes a design philosophy that has come from the realization of life which is mindfulness and emptiness. And by using mindfulness and emptiness we can achieve breakthroughs in design together with sustainable thinking and with the end goal of creating works of art. These works of art are going to be formed by two elements - original idea and breakthrough idea. Our motive is to go from zero to one becoming an example for others to follow rather than imitating existing companies in this space.

What are the factors you take into account when developing effective corporate growth strategies for MPN + Partners?

Our aim is to create a work of art for every project because when you enjoy a work of art it touches people's hearts and that's the real success of the design. It also leaves a legacy in the form of intangible value for the project, community, and client. Since the work that we do is formed by original ideas and breakthroughs, we have a very clear design guideline for everyone who joins the company so that they are able to follow and adopt this philosophy.

To build original ideas, we practice mindfulness within the company which allows us to keep a fresh mind. It also helps architects to accept and acknowledge the present condition of the project. And it enables them to avoid the situation of being trapped by their ego and the tendency to create identities for themselves through their designs.

We at MPN, do not want to create identities for ourselves but create identities for our clients. Since we believe in originality, no one is allowed to take ideas from the internet or books about existing masterpieces in the world. Because those projects were from different locations, belong to different clients, designed by different architects which have no relation to the current project. Original ideas should be crafted purely and freshly from the specific site constraints, the specific client, and the community around the site. One very special thing about us is that we stay away from technology like CAD Drawing for the beginning stage; everything is done using our hands, as we believe, hand-drawings come straight from the heart which indeed is very powerful.

Moreover, we bring breakthroughs in our projects by indulging ourselves in researching and thinking a bit deeper about life and nature. Our philosophy of mindfulness and emptiness is very powerful which tells us about the true meaning of life and how everything works.

What is the future destination you are headed towards?

In the coming years, we aspire to become a global leader in the architectural design space with our approach to original ideas and breakthrough ideas and share our philosophy with the maximum number of architects across the world. We want to be an inspiration for the younger generation and also help them by training them to understand the importance of quality and works of art.

Minh Phuc Nguyen, Co-Founder, MPN + Partners

A passionate architect and the Co-founder of a multinational architectural design firm, Minh is recognized for his work in civic and cultural buildings, urban planning, public infrastructure, and interior design with an innovative and sustainable approach. He is also an affiliate member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and also earned an MBA degree from the UK.

Awards & Recognition: Top 10 Thang Long Entrepreneur 2022, Vietnam Golden Entrepreneur of 2021, Global Best Project Award - 2nd Prize, World Architecture Festival – Building of the Year 2022 – shortlisted, World Architecture Festival – Best use of color – Shortlisted, Top 30 Young Entrepreneur of Hanoi 2018