From Artist and Architect Danh Nguyen, A Fresh Aesthetic
Born in Vietnam and raised in California, Danh Nguyen studied graphic design at the San Francisco College of the Arts before pursuing a Master’s in Architecture at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
After several years of balancing his teaching position at UC Davis with his architectural practice, Danh decided to step away from academia to focus on architecture and design full-time.
A few years later, Danh began contemplating a move to another country. “Though I was initially drawn to Vietnam, the distance made things very difficult,” he explains. “I kept hearing wonderful things about Mérida. After visiting the city, I immediately sensed that this was a place where I would like to spend more time.”
For several years, Danh traveled back and forth between Yucatán and California. Encouraged by his successful projects in Mérida, he eventually decided to become a full-time resident.
Since settling in Mérida, Danh has primarily worked with expats looking to build or renovate homes in the downtown area. He notes, however, that he has observed increasing interest in constructing new homes from the ground up in the northern part of the city.
Danh draws inspiration from the Californian aesthetic, particularly its emphasis on indoor-outdoor living spaces and quality of light.
“There are many beautiful homes in Mérida, but sometimes they feel a little too enclosed for my taste,” he reflects. “I always emphasize aspects such as air circulation and the use of open spaces.”
Lee Steele is the founding director of Mérida-based Roof Cat Media S de RL de CV and has published Yucatán Magazine and other titles since 2012. He was Hearst Connecticut’s Sunday Magazine creative director and worked in New York City for various magazine publishers, including Condé Nast and Primedia, for over 20 years.
