Green destination attracts visitors at Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Located in the campus of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, between large gardens and traditional architectural works of many ethnic groups, Truc Lam space has the appearance of a small tea shop embracing the heritage banyan tree, evoking the familiar image of the old Vietnamese countryside with banyan trees, wells, and communal house yards. This is a project created with the function of both serving visitors and being a place to display, teach and practice Vietnam's long-standing handicrafts.

Just last August, this space received consecutive international architectural awards, namely the Honorable Mention at the International Architecture Awards (IAA) 2024 organized by the Chicago Museum of Architecture and Design (USA) in collaboration with the European Center for Architectural Design and Urban Studies and the Green Good Design Award - one of the world's prestigious awards in the field of green design.

While the Honorable Mention award shows the advantage of creativity and cultural influence, Green Good Design shows the plus point of sustainable design. Both awards have affirmed the advantages of Truc Lam space and are proof of the skillful combination of traditional and modern elements in cultural preservation.

Bui Ngoc Quang, Deputy Director in charge of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Architect Vu Xuan Son, who participated in the design of Truc Lam space, said that the renovation of the project was carried out based on the following criteria: maximum conservation, optimal functionality, environmental friendliness, and appropriateness to the context. Along with that, the spaces are expanded in many directions, creating multi-dimensional access, interwoven with existing trees to help double the usable area compared to the current status. All materials used for the project are natural materials and lightweight materials with high recyclability such as: soil, bamboo, steel, glass.

Besides the architectural design, Truc Lam space also impresses with its interior display including many precious works of art such as: Agarwood elephant statue, Buddha head statue, wooden statue reminiscent of Central Highlands tomb statues...

According to Ms. Vu Lien, Deputy Director of Truc Lam Handicraft Company, many of the works were collected from the people, which are long-standing ethnic cultural items, bearing the unique customs of the regions of Vietnam. Among these, the precious brocade collection hundreds of years old of the Thai people in Nghe An was assessed and highly appreciated by experts of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

Truc Lam space with its design of interweaving traditional and contemporary elements is also done on the basis of the desire for visitors to experience a seamless, uninterrupted cultural space. The intentional arrangement of artworks in a spacious, airy space also helps Truc Lam space increase its flexibility, which can be easily changed according to different exhibition and display themes. This also helps connect artisans and the lives of ethnic minorities closer to visitors.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Huy, former Director of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, could not hide his joy and emotion: “Currently, museums often pay little attention to spaces for rest and relaxation, while visitors really need this. I myself have seen, even in the cafe and lunch spaces in European or American museums, some are simple, some are luxurious, but all aim to connect with the museum content. Truc Lam space has done that. I hope it will be a model for domestic museums in the future.”

Source: https://nhandan.vn/khong-gian-truc-lam-diem-den-xanh-hut-khach-post828766.html