FD2025 Exhibition: Products demonstrate the training quality of Interior Design studentst

On September 20, 2025, the Faculty of Arts and Design at Van Lang University hosted the FD2025 Exhibition, showcasing 120 projects by Class 28 students majoring in Interior Design. The exhibits featured work from the "Furniture Design Project" module of the Interior Design major and "Design & Practice 3" module of the Furniture Design major.

The Furniture Design Exhibition is an annual event within the Interior Design major aimed at showcasing Furniture Design projects completed by third-year students. The 120 projects at FD2025 were directly designed and constructed by Class 28 students, giving them full experience of a professional designer’s workflow: from ideation, drafting, material selection, manufacturing, to final product completion. The works harness both traditional cultural values and modern trends, emphasizing aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability.

Dr. Le Long Vinh, Head of the Interior Design major, shared: “The projects align with the experiential learning philosophy, helping students thoroughly experience the design process, laying a crucial foundation for pre-graduation and graduation projects. We want students not only to be graded by their works but also to listen to feedback from industry professionals, enabling products to be creative yet applicable in the market.” This project is distinctive for the major, providing students with comprehensive practice from ideation, drafting, to supervising actual product construction. The exhibition targets a dual purpose: serving as a course assessment form and an academic platform, opening opportunities for students to connect with businesses.

In the Interior Design category, two First Prizes were awarded to projects rich in creativity and identity. The “Flora Soft” Bench collection by Le Bao Tran, Duong Thanh Huyen, and Bui Phuong Anh was inspired by soft floral images and feminine lines, evoking a relaxing and gentle atmosphere in a luxurious space. Meanwhile, the “May dao lua” Armchair by Truong Man and Luong Y Mai explored cloud and sword motifs carved into wood from the Later Le Restoration period, a unique Vietnamese artistry. The product impresses with a contemporary spirit while preserving traditional marks, affirming Vietnamese design identity amid integration.

In the Furniture Design category, two excellent works won First Prize: “Ngoc bich Collection” by Huynh Minh Ngoc and “Cu nghe Collection” by Huynh Hoang Quy. “Ngoc bich Collection” impresses by exploiting the symbolism of jade - a signifier of purity and prosperity in East Asian culture - to produce products with high aesthetic value and cultural depth. Meanwhile, “Cu nghe Collection” reinterprets the rustic beauty of natural vegetable shapes, transferred into interior design through meticulous craftsmanship, providing a fresh perspective on the connection between design and daily life.

Huynh Minh Nhat, a Class 28 student majoring in Furniture Design, introduced his “Ngoc bich Collection” inspired by the jade green color symbolizing purity, prosperity, and inner depth in East Asian culture. Minh Nhat shared: “The most difficult part was managing time because I had to design, complete detailed drawings, and directly craft the product. Luckily, with dedicated support from lecturers, I overcame challenges and completed the product. After this course, I better understand structures, materials, and learned lots of practical experience. Winning First Prize was an unexpected joy and also motivates me to hone my skills for the upcoming graduation project”.

Huynh Hoang Quy chose a unique approach by turning turmeric and vegetables into design inspiration. Quy explained: “These vegetables have exotic shapes symbolizing intense vitality beneath the soil. It is a beauty both rustic and energetic, closely tied to Vietnamese life”. His biggest challenge was forming the design from solid wood, requiring stamina and multiple stages like sawing, chiseling, sanding, and surface finishing to maintain rustic charm yet ensure aesthetics. “What I learned most is persistence. Today's achievement is not only a proud moment for a design student but also a case study showing that even ordinary vegetables can be transformed into designs of artistic and practical value”, Hoang Quy shared.

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These designs were directly ideated, constructed, and completed by students, reflecting the blend of artistic creativity and practical functionality.

This is the only course where students directly fabricate real products, from sketching, 3D modeling, and material selection to fabrication. Thus, students improve creativity as well as skills in project management, teamwork, technical understanding, and production processes - important tools as they enter the professional world. Dr. Ho Thi Thanh Nhan, Interior Design lecturer, shared: “Students grasp construction, materials, and fabrication techniques better, a dimension that theoretical drawings do not cover fully. This hands-on experience is the most job-relevant preparation for confident graduates”.

With participation from furniture and material companies at FD2025, students gained real-world perspectives, direct feedback from industry experts, access to market standards, and expanded internship and career opportunities - a vital factor boosting confidence toward becoming professional designers.

During the program, the Organizing Committee awarded more than 20 prizes in Interior Design and Furniture Design categories, recognizing student creativity and solidifying ties between the university and businesses in supporting youth.

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Awards from companies recognize student creativity efforts and encourage confidence when entering the profession.

The FD2025 Exhibition is part of the 20th-anniversary celebrations of the Faculty of Arts and Design, Van Lang University - a journey accompanying businesses in practice-linked training. The event provided students the chance to design, fabricate, receive partner feedback, and hone creativity, professional skills, project, and group management. Concurrently, the exhibition introduced products to market, awarded outstanding projects, and formed a solid foundation for students’ confident career starts meeting stringent domestic and international market demands.

News: Dang Khoa
Photos: Dang Anh