Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) designed by SHoP Architects, has broken ground in Ho Chi Minh City.
Fulbright University Vietnam, the country’s first independent, not-for-profit institution of higher education, broke ground today on the site of its permanent campus in Saigon High-Tech Park in District 9. Carrying forward the legacy of its namesake, Senator William Fulbright, the university aspires to serve Vietnamese society through innovative teaching programs and impactful research aimed at supporting Vietnam’s continued development.
The ceremony kicks off the construction of the 15-hectare flagship campus at the Saigon High-Tech Park. The event marked a major milestone in Fulbright’s journey toward establishing its permanent Ho Chi Minh City campus and highlighted the university’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s continued socioeconomic transformation by educating human capital to drive technological innovation. The university expects to complete the first phase of construction by September 2026, in time for the start of the 2026 – 2027 academic year.
Phase 1
The academic and student buildings form the nucleus of the campus in phase 1, from which Fulbright University Vietnam will expand in subsequent stages. The main gateway building will house a distinctive amphitheater located at the center of the space, as well as the student center and library.
From the central campus, Fulbright comes to life with a rich mix of programming set off by select plantings and water features. A network of pedestrian streets, or allées, extends out from the lawn and main building. At the end of each pathway are focal-point buildings designed to serve as galleries, theaters, or a gymnasium.
The convergence of two thoroughfares forms a wedge-shaped dormitory with student dining on the ground floor. These irregular geometries ensure a sense of active learning and discovery, provide meaningful landmarks, and encourage a natural, intuitive system of wayfinding.
Water features play an important role in the landscaping of the campus. Rain is a key aspect of life in Ho Chi Minh City, and water management is critical to the resiliency of the campus and the project’s goals of environmental stewardship.
The buildings celebrate this key feature of the local environment, integrating drainage and water reclamation into visible design elements throughout the campus and the landscape.
Finally, the design of the campus plan is optimized to support innovations in pedagogy and to promote both academic and societal goals, supporting cultural continuity and inspiring meaningful change.
The campus is designed as a primary teaching tool in and of itself – a leading example of sustainable planning and engineering practices that acts as a model for responsible growth both locally and internationally. SHoP is benchmarking the project against other comparable global institutions and seeking LEED and LOTUS accreditation.