The role of design and architecture in urban transformation processes was the focus of Italian Design Day 2026, organised by the Consulate General of Italy in Ho Chi Minh City in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency.
The initiative, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the leading stakeholders involved in the internationalisation of the design and furnishings sector, has now reached its tenth edition. This year’s theme is “Re-Design: regenerating spaces, objects, ideas and relationships”.
Opening the event, Consul General Alessandra Tognonato underlined how Italy itself represents a true laboratory of urban regeneration, while also referring to the upcoming Salone del Mobile.Milano as a global benchmark event for design and furnishings, as well as an international platform for dialogue among creativity, industry and design culture.
Architect Tiziano Vudafieri, Italian Design Ambassador in Vietnam for the 2026 edition, and architect and urban planner Ngo Viet Nam Son discussed the role of architecture and design in urban regeneration processes, exploring the intersection of innovation, sustainability and the enhancement of existing heritage. The discussion, moderated by Thuy Duong Nguyen Phan, Managing Editor of ELLE Decoration Vietnam, took place in the iconic historic building that once served as the residence of Marie-Alfred Foulhoux, whose steel roof structure was built by the company of Gustave Eiffel, and which today hosts Runam d’Or.
