Since the beginning of the year, students of the Faculty of Architecture at the Da Nang University of Science and Technology have conducted survey trips to take measurements of village communal houses and ancient residential houses in Hoa Vang District in order to offer solutions to the district to help it preserve its cultural heritage and boost its tourism industry.

Students of the Faculty of Architecture at the Da Nang University of Science and Technology taking the measurements of village communal houses and residential houses, and sketching their architectures in the Phong Nam Ancient village. Photo: HUYNH LE

More than 100 students from the Faculty of Architecture recently conducted a survey trip to the Phong Nam Ancient Village, Hoa Chau Commune to take detailed measurements of local architectural works.

Student Ho Doan Thanh Ngan said that students worked together to conduct site survey and take measurements of local architectural works that will be used as a basis for offering renovation solutions to the locality to help them ensure the scientificity of these works while preserving local cultural and historic heritage.

After a busy day, the student group took measurements of dozens of buildings, including French architecture. Included were the Phu Thuong Church, the Quan Chau Clan Ancestral House, and Phong Le Village Communal house which is a sacred place to honor the village's founders, along with many ancient houses dating back hundreds of years, and religious works.

“Challenges faced in the restoration and renovation of ancient architectural works in Phong Nam Village, and Hoa Vang District as a whole, as most of these works do not have any architectural drawings. Therefore, students took measurements of ancient architecture, and handed over these data to the locality to help it conduct these repairs and restorations," Ngan said excitedly.

The Phong Nam Ancient Village dating back over 100 years preserves the purest essence of Vietnamese culture. The village is now home to 17 ancient houses and a number of spiritual and communal architecture that are seriously degraded.

Mr. Nguyen Binh, the Secretary of Hoa Chau Communal Party Organisation, said that local authorities have asked for help from the Faculty of Architecture at the Da Nang University of Science and Technology to take measurements of ancient architecture which are used as a basis for conducting the restoration and renovation of these cultural buildings.

According to Mr. Binh, the Da Nang University of Science and Technology had previously organized a number of workshops on architectural planning in Phong Nam Village, and Hoa Vang District as a whole, thereby contributing to collecting constructive ideas from the participants in order to help the locality promote the development of community-based tourism, and protect local cultural heritage, as well as preserve and uphold traditional elements of the Phong Nam Ancient Village.

Co-organized by the Da Nang University of Science and Technology and the Da Nang University of Technical Education, and Japan’s Maebashi Institute of Technology, an international seminar highlighted architectural housing solutions for the Cam Ne sedge mat-making village located in Hoa Tien Commune, Hoa Vang District.

Student Tran Van Thanh said that residential houses in the Cam Ne sedge mat-making village are being severely impacted by climate change, along with rainy and humid conditions. The village is one of the city’s locations worst-hit by flooding in the rainy and stormy season. Therefore, flooding greatly affected architectural works and residential houses which are connected with local cultural heritage

“Effective solutions proposed by lectures and students of the Da Nang University of Science and Technology were presented at this international seminar with a focus on designing sustainable buildings that can survive extreme weather conditions and changing climates within the lifetime of a building while encouraging community connection and creativity ”, Thanh remarked.

Associate Professor, Ph.D Nguyen Anh Tuan, the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at the Da Nang University of Science and Technology, said that the international seminar highlighted links between Vietnamese and Japanese experts, and experiences of Japanese experts, thereby contributing to offering solutions suitable to the practical needs of local people.

“As part of key activities launched by the Faculty of Architecture, survey trips to Hoa Vang District helped students get hands-on experience, as well as support the localities in the management and restoration of cultural works in order to help them preserve and protect their local architectural heritage and landscapes for future generations. With our social responsibility, teachers and students of the Da Nang University of Science and Technology are willing to join hands with authorities at local level to make our community a cleaner, greener, more beautiful," Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan remarked.

Reporting by HUYNH LE – Translating by H.L