“I study garden houses as a connection between Vietnamese art and culture and a deep connection with the land and spirit of Hue. Hidden cultural features still thrive in the values and identity of Hue today,” said Professor and Landscape Architect Kimberlee Stryker (University of California, Berkeley) in her “Listening to the Gardens of Hue, Vietnam” 25 years ago.

Nguyen Huu Thong, researcher, former Deputy Director of Hue Sub-Institute of Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, made such assessment of the story of Hue garden houses during a seminar held on April 21st at An Nhien Garden space (Phu Thuong Ward, Hue City).

Phuoc Tich ancient village is surrounded by the O Lau river in Phong Hoa Commune, (Phong Dien District), which is 40km north of Hue City. The village was founded in 1470, during the reign of Le Thanh Tong. With its poetic scenery, valuable architecture of ruong houses and garden houses, and unique cultural institutions, etc., the village was recognized as a national relic in 2009. Currently, the functional agencies are preparing a dossier to propose the village to be recognized as a special national relic.

For Hoang Dang Khanh, city quarter is not just somewhere to go to and return, and the place of houses to live in; but is also associated with the breath and life, pampering the artist from Hue Ancient Capital with countless emotions.

Forty distinctive garden houses voluntarily registered to participate in the project, meeting the criteria and gaining approval to join the project for the period 2023 - 2026.

A communal house in Kon Ron village is 22m in length, 13m in width, and 20m in height. It has 6 pillars made of binh linh wood (taken from the old communal house).

Recently there appeared in Hue many garden cafes, especially ones at ancient princes’ and princesses’ residences (Phu De.) Around a hundred years ago those houses were places for princes, princesses, mandarins and their relatives to gather on special occasions and death anniversaries.

Heavy rain throughout November 15 caused thousands of houses in key areas across the province to be seriously flooded. The flood also inundated and divided many low-lying areas in Quang Dien, Phong Dien, Phu Vang, Phu Loc districts, etc.

At the seminar "Hollowness and Open Space of the City" jointly organized by ASHUI, Tich Thien Vien and Thua Thien Hue Association of Architects, speakers and architects with diverse perspectives exchanged many interesting stories and experiences about gardens and open space inside houses and the “hollow and open” space within the city.

How to make Truc Chi (Bamboo Thread) present in all Vietnamese houses has been the dream of Phan Hai Bang, Ngo Dinh Bao Vi and their partners in the very beginning. Their dream is materializing when Truc Chi can be found now in almost all provinces and big cities in Vietnam.

Along with the investment in completing traffic infrastructure, lighting system and public utilities, Hue City has recently prioritized the resources to allocate investment capital to upgrade and restore communal houses, in order to contribute to the conservation and restoration of relics in the area.