Huong Incense Ubunikazi Bomkhiqizo, Ukwakhiwa Kokupakisha by Huy Nguyen Tran

Huong Incense Ubunikazi Bomkhiqizo, Ukwakhiwa Kokupakisha by Huy Nguyen Tran is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award in Ukukhangisa Competition Category.

IbhulonziUkukhangisa· 2026

Huong Incense Ubunikazi Bomkhiqizo, Ukwakhiwa Kokupakisha

by Huy Nguyen Tran

Client: Huong

Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award Winner in Ukukhangisa Category

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The Design

About Huong Incense Ubunikazi Bomkhiqizo, Ukwakhiwa Kokupakisha

I-Huong iyiphrojekthi yokwakha uphawu lomkhiqizo nokupakisha yebhrendi yempepho yesimanje yaseVietnam. Umklamo uhumusha kabusha ukukhonzwa kwamadlozi njengesiko elizolile lokuzwa ngezinzwa lezizukulwane ezisha. Imibala ilandela Izinto Ezinhlanu (Five Elements), futhi isakhiwo sokupakisha sisuselwe ekuVumelaneni Okuyisithupha (Six Harmonies) nasendlini yendabuko enezigaba ezintathu. Isethi ihlanganisa ibhokisi elikhulu elinamacala ayisithupha, amabhokisi empepho ayisithupha angaphakathi, izibambi zempepho ezimbili kanye nezinto eziphrintiwe. Iwebhusayithi ehambisanayo ebizwa ngokuthi i-Gap yandisa uhlelo olufanayo lokubukwayo, ivumela izivakashi ukuthi zixhumane nezithunzi zamadlozi ezakhiwe isithunzi sazo uqobo.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award

Huong Incense Ubunikazi Bomkhiqizo, Ukwakhiwa Kokupakisha iwinile uMklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile kakhulu okunikezwa imiklamo ephawulekayo eyehlukaniswa ukudala, ubuhlakani nobukhali bengqondo. Abawinile beBhulonzi yimisebenzi enobuchule obukhulu nedala ngokumangalisayo eqinisekisa isipiliyoni esibanzi, umcabango nobuhlakani babaklami babo. Huong Incense Ubunikazi Bomkhiqizo, Ukwakhiwa Kokupakisha ilindeleke ukuba ibe yinto exatshwa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo, enobungcweti obuphawulekayo nezinto ezintsha. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Webhulonzi we-A' Design Award uhlanganisa izindlela ezinhle kakhulu ebuciko, esayensi, ekuklameni nasebuchwepheshe futhi uhamba phambili ngenxa yokunaka kwawo imininingwane. Huong Incense Ubunikazi Bomkhiqizo, Ukwakhiwa Kokupakisha iyanelisa izidingo ngokumangalisayo, ithinta izifiso, iheha imizwa futhi ikhanga ukufuna ukwazi.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Huong (Scent) is a contemporary incense brand that reinterprets Vietnamese ancestor worship for younger generations through a refined sensory-wellness ritual. Distinctive strengths include a heritage-led identity system, Five Elements color logic, and packaging architecture derived from Six Harmonies and traditional three-compartment house typology. The project is extended by Gap (Meet), an interactive platform where users’ shadow-based ancestral silhouettes connect personal memory with collective lineage.
Dimensions & Packaging: The set includes 1 hexagonal master box, 6 inner incense boxes, 2 incense holders, and supporting printed materials (brochure, leaflet, instruction card). The structure is based on Six Harmonies and a three-panel opening inspired by traditional Vietnamese altar-house layouts. The package combines symbolic storytelling and practical usability, while the Gap (Meet) website extends the same visual system into an interactive digital ritual journey.
Tags: Renovative, Original, Respect, Nostalgic, Mythical
Production Technology: We developed Huong through a research-led creative process that blends cultural storytelling with contemporary brand execution. The system includes identity design, pattern development, structural packaging prototyping, 3D visualization, and interactive web design. From logo to layout, each element was refined through iterative testing to keep the experience meaningful, clear, and emotionally engaging across print, object, and digital touchpoints.
Design Challenge: The hardest part was modernizing a sacred tradition without reducing it to decoration. We needed to balance spiritual authenticity with contemporary aesthetics across language, form, and interaction. Another challenge was building one coherent narrative across packaging and digital media. Through repeated cultural review and design iteration, we achieved a system that feels both respectful and relevant to younger audiences.
Research: This project uses qualitative cultural and design research. Our objective was to renew Vietnamese ancestor worship for younger generations. We combined desk research, visual analysis, and iterative prototyping, using historical references, folklore symbols, packaging mockups, and interaction wireframes. Team critiques and user readability checks guided refinement. The result is a clear, heritage-led brand experience that strengthens cultural continuity and makes ritual practice more approachable in modern life.
Inspiration: Huong was inspired by Vietnam’s fading tradition of ancestor worship and the profound symbolism of incense as a bridge between worlds. Through cultural research on Vietnamese rituals, Vietnamese Gods, Spiritual Deities, Five Elements Theory, and the Yin–Yang philosophy, the project reinterprets these heritage elements into modern packaging and digital experiences—reviving spiritual values and reconnecting younger generations with their ancestral roots.
Project Duration: The project started in April 2025 and finished in November 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Operation Flow: The experience begins as users open the hexagonal master box, revealing six incense sets arranged like chapters of a story. Each box unfolds smoothly, guiding the user through layers of discovery—from lighting incense, uncovering its meaning, knowing more about Ancestral Worshipping and Vietnamese Incense Village.

The Gap (Meet) website extends this ritual digitally, letting users interact with ancestral silhouettes inspired by their own shadow—turning a simple act into a personal, spiritual reunion.
Team Members: Director: Huy Nguyen
Designer: Linh Bui
Designer: Thanh Nguyen
Motion Designer: An Do
Copywriter: Mai Phuong Le
Copywriter: Thien My Bui
Motion Designer: Thanh Dang
3D Supervisor: Thu Pham
3D Designer: Khanh Nguyen
Instructor: Ha Van Minh