Trung Mai is a French-Vietnamese architect (HMONP) and urban designer who graduated with honors from ENSA Paris-Malaquais in Paris, France, and Leibniz Universität Hannover in Germany. After gaining experience in major French offices such as Atelier Jean Nouvel and Dominique Perrault, Trung founded Ad hoc Practice in 2020, in parallel with Hanoi ad hoc, as a research creation platform.

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Trung is the first Vietnamese architect to win three times at Europan (in Spain, Italy, and France), the largest European urban biennial competition for young architects under 40, focusing on designing innovative housing and urban planning schemes for sites across Europe. Trung is also the recipient and nominee of numerous international awards and competitions, including Prince Claus Seed Award 2024, NL; IBA'27 - Internationale Bauausstellung 2027 in Germany; World Architectural Festival 2018; Architizer A+ award 2024,US; the Renovation of the Industrial Territory of DSK 500 International Competition in Siberia, Russia;; and the Association of Siamese Architects International Competition 2015, Thailand. Trung is a member of the French chamber of architecture. His works are exhibited in Architekturmuseum der TU München, and HKW Berlin ( Haus der kulturen der welt ). Trung has been a guest lecturer at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Ecole Spécial d’Architecture, ENSA Paris Belleville. 

Trung has always been fascinated by the disorders and ad hoc nature of urban settings, viewing them as the intangible identity of the urban milieu, a universal approach to decolonization, and a crucial catalyst for significant urban change. His work focuses on devising urban renewal strategies for post-industrial contexts, integrating agriculture into urban environments, and exploring critical regionalism, resilience, reversibility, and architectural rearrangement within the context of the Anthropocene.

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Achievements

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Prince Claus Seed Award 2024 - Awardee, Netherlands

​​Architizer A+Award 12th - Winner - Exhibition Space Category, USA​  

Europan 17 - Living City 2 - 3rd prize Winner.Barcelona, Spain

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Europan 16 - Living City 1 - 1st prize Winner. Italy

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Renovation the industrial territory of DSK 500 International Competition - Finalist - Russia

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Oslo Triennale 2022 - neighbourhood index exhibition - Norway

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IBA'27 - Internationale Bauausstellung 2027 - Runner up. Germany

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Europan 15 - Honorary Prize. France

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World Architecture Festival 2018 - Future master planning project of the year - Shortlist. Nerthelands 

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Vietnam Innovation Network - one of the 100 pioneers in the Vietnam Innovation Network. The program was officially launched by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as an initiative to gather talented Vietnamese intellects and experts living overseas in an effort to help Vietnam leap toward the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

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TEDxHanoi 2018 - Speaker

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Association of Siamese Architects / Agitated vernacular 2018  - Shortlist.Thailand.

Unbuilt Vision 2015. - Honorary Prize. US.

Association of Siamese Architects International design competition 2015 / DENSITY/ DENSE CITY - 2nd prize. Thailand.