Vietnamese modernist architecture of the mid-twentieth-century is disappearing rapidly in the twenty-first century. I think we can agree on the historical, social, and aesthetic values of these heritage structures. In addition, a strong argument can also be made that the richness of Ho Chi Minh City’s urban environment projects a strong identity that attracts investment and tourism. We need to work together to find ways to protect these historic structures and the Vietnamese identity that they represent.
The video available at the link below provides the context and details of the opportunities for those with vision and money to adapt these heritage structures for new uses or to conserve them.
This presentation by architect Mel Schenck in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, was originally developed for presentation to the design studio of Professor Erik L’Heureux in the Department of Architecture of the National University of Singapore, delivered online on 27 January 2022.
This episode is the second of two episodes comprising that presentation, with this one focusing on reuse and conservation of these historical structures from the mid-twentieth-century, and the first episode focusing on adaptation to the tropical climate.
