BằNG: Vietnamese design that showcases materials and craftsmanship

A sphere appears to float between translucent layers. Although it does not move, its reflections create the illusion of movement. This light fitting encapsulates the spirit of Bằng, a Vietnamese furniture and lighting brand founded in Ho Chi Minh City in 2021. Under the guidance of its co-founder, French designer Thomas Bình-Minh Vincent, the brand draws inspiration from materials and manufacturing processes to create curious and interactive objects that remain functional.

A brand born in the workshop

Thomas Bình-Minh VINCENT au studio ; Khoaa Nguyen

The brand’s name speaks volumes about its approach. In Vietnamese, ‘bằng’ is a preposition meaning ‘made by’ a process or ‘made of’ a material. ‘Handmade’ is ‘làm bằng tay’, and ‘made of steel’ is ‘làm bằng sắt’. Founded in 2021, Bằng combines inventive ideas with expert craftsmanship, mostly carried out in-house from design to packaging. The brand draws inspiration from its workshop environment and everyday life in Saigon. It champions ‘unboring’ objects – designed to last and be repairable, and to encourage interaction rather than distant contemplation. This focus on the process as well as the result underpins each of its collections.

Lớp, the sphere that seems to float

Dreamy Lớp grand carré; BằNG

Designed by Thomas Bình-Minh Vincent in 2023, the Lớp collection of sculptural light fittings is based on a crystal-clear concept: a sphere suspended between layers. Once the lamp is switched on, the sphere’s reflections are cast onto the acrylic sheets, creating the impression of movement. Although the sphere itself remains stationary, its multiple reflections create a sense of motion. In Vietnamese, ‘lớp’ means ‘layer’. The collection is available in four sizes and several vibrant colours. A stainless steel edition, entirely hand-polished to achieve a mirror finish, offers a more monumental and architectural version. Two styles emerge from the same principle: one luminous and colourful, the other sculptural and metallic.

Dreamy Lớp, an almost immaterial light

Dreamy Lớp petit rectangle; BằNG

The latest finish, Dreamy Lớp, features iridescent acrylic. Luminous and ever-changing, it shifts with the light and the viewer’s perspective to the point of appearing almost immaterial. In direct sunlight, its dichroic hues cast coloured shadows onto neighbouring surfaces, and the piece retains its character even when switched off. This development extends the collection’s ethos of an ongoing exploration of the material, manufacturing process, and object lifespan. Recently unveiled, Dreamy Lớp illustrates how Bằng works with light — a material in its own right that is capable of transforming a room’s atmosphere as the hours pass.

International accolades and showcases

In just a few years, Lớp has gained international recognition. The collection won the Archiproducts Design Award in 2023 and was amongst the winners of the German Design Award. It has also been selected for stock at several leading museum shops, including the Centre Pompidou Shop in Paris, the MoMA Design Store in New York, and the Vitra Design Museum Shop in Germany. For a brand founded in 2021, this presence in design-dedicated institutions confirms the strength of its offering. It also reflects Bằng’s keen understanding of contemporary Vietnamese design, which they are helping to promote on the international stage.

Đan, Qua, Điểm: starting with the material

Table ronde Điểm en crème; BằNG

Three further collections follow the same approach. The Đan trinket tray, designed by Thomas Bình-Minh Vincent, uses the minimum amount of material to hold as much as possible: two strips of linen and thin bamboo rods form a flexible structure that can be adjusted by hand. Its name refers to the Vietnamese verb ‘to weave’. Qua is a collection of stainless steel mirrors; the name means ‘through’. Crafted from polished metal rather than glass, these shatterproof mirrors combine industrial cutting with handcrafted finishes. The brand’s first collection of furniture and lighting, Điểm, features perforated steel. Its patterns of square perforations evoke the illuminated façades of Saigon’s buildings at night, lightening the structure while creating a visual rhythm.

Thomas Bình-Minh Vincent, the designer behind the collection

Thomas Bình-Minh VINCENT à l’atelier; BằNG

Thomas Bình-Minh Vincent is the co-founder and creative director of BÀNG. He is a French designer based in Ho Chi Minh City. After graduating from the Strate design school in Paris in 2016, he chose to work in Vietnam in order to be involved in the production process from start to finish. His conviction centres on one idea: execution brings drawings and intuitions to life. His approach encompasses the entire product cycle, from research and prototyping to manufacturing and packaging. He places particular emphasis on modular objects designed to be easily repaired and recycled. This commitment results in pieces with distinctive silhouettes, where simple ideas, developed with rigour, result in refined, durable and functional objects.