English
Tiếng ViệtLooking back on the journey, every time I attend an inauguration ceremony, it is not only a milestone for the project, but also a very personal milestone in my professional path.
“Last year, I attended the inauguration of Cu Chi Hospital as a Design Consultancy unit. This year, at the inauguration of Quy Nhon Guest House – Corps 15, I returned in a different role: Set-up and Operations Consultancy.
Two milestones, two projects, only a few months apart. Yet, the journey from being an architect to working in real estate operations management has taken more than 15 years — a journey that has not only changed my profession, but also the way I perceive the value of a building.
Since 2008, I began my path in residential property operations management with Savista — where the first practical lessons in operations were formed. By 2019, when joining HSSC Hospitality, this journey expanded into a broader scope: hotels, resorts, and professional accommodation models.
Throughout this process, HSSC has been involved in various projects with different roles: from investment consulting and project development, to optimizing design functionality aligned with operations, to pre-opening set-up and direct operations management. Each project is a unique challenge, yet they all share one common goal: how to ensure a design is not only beautiful on paper, but also “performs well” in real-life operations. The value of operations management in architecture is crucial — it enhances the overall value of the property, where the most important value lies in the user experience.
As I go deeper into real estate and hospitality operations, one thing becomes increasingly clear:
A beautiful space does not necessarily operate efficiently.
A good design does not necessarily create a good experience.
Ultimately, the core value lies in how the project serves its end users.
When I no longer view a project solely from the perspective of an architect, but from that of an operator, the perspective inevitably changes.
It is no longer about form or aesthetics, but about very practical questions:
What do customers feel when they step into this space — impressed, comfortable, or inconvenienced?
Do they truly feel at ease when using each area and facility?
Are the technical systems stable, cost-efficient, and easy to maintain?
Is the operational team lean enough to run smoothly while maintaining service quality?
And sometimes, could a seemingly “premium” design detail unintentionally become a bottleneck in operations?
Operations, in its true sense, is not the final stage — but a factor that must be considered from the very beginning.
Only when customers are truly satisfied throughout their experience can the value of a project be sustainably affirmed. At that point, business performance is no longer a coincidence, but an inevitable result.
The clearest realization is:
We do not design merely to satisfy investors.
We design to serve the satisfaction of end users. When investors share this same vision, projects can truly move in the right direction of value creation. Recognizing this means that design approaches, spatial organization, and material selection must always consider effective solutions for set-up and operations. Completing architectural design is not the end point, but the beginning of a longer journey: creating real, sustainable value — the journey of operations management.
Thank you, Quy Nhon, for always bringing new emotions each time I return.
The journey from architect to operations manager is not a shift in direction, but an expansion — one that extends the lifecycle and value of each project.
This is how I can fully embrace the architectural profession and find greater fulfillment in it every day.”
