In an interview with Vietnam.vn, Vietnam’s official news site, SOM Design Principal Nicolas Medrano discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced computing are shaping the APEC Convention and Exhibition Center and a Multi-Purpose Arena in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. Developed with Sun Group for APEC 2027, the complex is designed to serve both a major international summit and the island’s long-term cultural, conference, and tourism needs.

Its design draws from the legend of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, the revered Dragon Father and Fairy Mother at the heart of Vietnamese mythology. As architecture these ancestral figures are reimagined in  a contemporary context. The convention center’s wave-like roof recalls Au Co, spanning 81 meters above an 11,050-square-meter,column-free main hall. Nearby, the circular arena honors Lac Long Quan, with dragon-scaled-inspired roof cladding and 50 pillars symbolizing the 50 sons who followed their Dragon Father to the sea.

Medrano explained in the article that cutting-edge parametric modeling tools allow the design team to translate these cultural motifs into practical, buildable forms. By running advanced structural analyses and environmental simulations, SOM optimizes material use and energy efficiency, ensuring that the architecture both expresses Vietnamese identity and meets the demands of Phu Quoc’s coastal climate.

“In this era of AI and technological breakthroughs, we possess powerful computing tools to create sustainable, high-performance, and future-oriented building structures,” Medrano said.