Raum: 4112
Tel.: +49 (0)89 289 29064
ha.mai@tum.de
Lê Ngọc Hà Mai holds a bachelor's and master's degree in architecture from the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City (UAH). Before joining TUM, she worked as a lecturer and freelance architect in Vietnam for 19 years. She taught architectural history and supervised design projects for students at the Faculty of Architecture, Van Lang University.
Living and practicing design in the vibrant built environment of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), she was drawn to the East-West fusion of culture and architecture, as well as the city's vitality and nostalgia. At the same time, she felt deeply the vulnerability of old buildings under the pressure of development. As a lecturer in architectural history, she wants to devote serious time to researching, publishing, and raising her voice to contribute to the preservation of HCMC's heritage. Therefore, her research topic is "Residential Buildings in Ho Chi Minh City from the Perspective of Heritage Conservation and Sustainable Development".
This research topic not only gives her a more thorough understanding of HCMC's residential heritage, but also gives her a broader perspective on preserving and using recent heritage in an adaptive and sustainable way. She sees a remarkable similarity in many cities around the world, where growing urban populations are causing severe housing shortages, and the need to preserve and use old housing resources wisely is essential. Using old housing resources also helps protect the environment, preserve urban identity, and improve the quality of life for the people who live there.
The opportunity to study at TUM allows her to visit many cities in Germany and Europe with interesting examples of recent heritage conservation projects. Therefore, her current research focuses on sustainable urban design and adaptive reuse strategies.