Workshop FA VUT in Hanoi / Informality - Density
Students of the Brno Faculty of Architecture FA VUT participated in a workshop in exotic Vietnam in the metropolis of Hanoi under the guidance of lecturer architect Marek Obtulovič from ODDO architects studio. This workshop was part of studio-based school education and focused on the theme of informality and intense densification within a city of approximately 8 million inhabitants. Specifically, they dealt with a smaller area of the Dong Da district, where they had to analyze the state of current development, social ties, and circulation in the area. A specific small house and plot (2.5 x 6 m), which was to be demolished by the owner and newly constructed for the contemporary needs of a multi-generational family, was part of the analysis. Students collaborated in a team with local students, who provided a more authentic insight into a different cultural context than they were accustomed to in Europe.
The students' approach represented a shift in thinking regarding the context of a dynamic city with a historical tradition and the rapid economic growth of Hanoi. As part of the workshop, there were guest lectures dealing with architecture, literature, or architectural practice in Vietnam. The students visited several inspiring buildings of contemporary architecture for a closer understanding of what such architecture looks like in the context of northern Vietnam.
The eight-day workshop was divided into a site analysis and the second half of the schedule devoted to designing specific solutions. In the end, the projects were presented to local and foreign architects, who provided valuable feedback to the students.
The Faculty of Architecture in Brno organized a workshop in Asia for the first time with the possibility of collaboration with local students. For the students, it was a valuable experience to work in an Asian context, where certain socio-economic and urban-architectural phenomena cannot be visibly observed within Europe. The international openness across different continents brings a different perspective on how to view contemporary architecture and urbanism.
Thanks: Our great thanks for financial and all other support belong to the Faculty of Architecture VUT in Brno. We also thank architect/educator Nguyen Cong Hiep (Hanoi Architectural University) and architect Nguyen Duc Trung (ODDO architects), who were also co-leaders of the workshop. Thanks also go to CA Library and AgoHub Center for Architecture in Hanoi, who provided working facilities throughout the duration of the workshop.
Workshop Participants: Helena Jašíčková, Veronika Zytová, Natálie Březinová, Lauren Imari Cook, Martin Kuběna, Samuel Knutelský, Jan Valdhans, Do Quang Vu, Nguyen Thi Hai Ha, Pham Minh Hoang, Le Duc Minh, Hien Nguyen, Pham Quang Huy
The students' approach represented a shift in thinking regarding the context of a dynamic city with a historical tradition and the rapid economic growth of Hanoi. As part of the workshop, there were guest lectures dealing with architecture, literature, or architectural practice in Vietnam. The students visited several inspiring buildings of contemporary architecture for a closer understanding of what such architecture looks like in the context of northern Vietnam.
The eight-day workshop was divided into a site analysis and the second half of the schedule devoted to designing specific solutions. In the end, the projects were presented to local and foreign architects, who provided valuable feedback to the students.
The Faculty of Architecture in Brno organized a workshop in Asia for the first time with the possibility of collaboration with local students. For the students, it was a valuable experience to work in an Asian context, where certain socio-economic and urban-architectural phenomena cannot be visibly observed within Europe. The international openness across different continents brings a different perspective on how to view contemporary architecture and urbanism.
Comment by student Martin Kuběna (3rd year BSP): "It was my first experience with such a long summer due to the warm weather in Hanoi and being in a country outside the European context. However, the students from Hanoi helped us quickly overcome any fears of the unknown, and we could fully focus on our workshop project. Collaboration with people who have completely opposite experiences with urban environments and mainly housing opened my eyes and helped me view the design from a certain local perspective. The experience of communicating my thoughts purely in English and trying to understand each other despite occasional language barriers was also interesting."
Comment by student Samuel Knutelský (3rd year BSP) "The environment of Hanoi provided me with a new perspective on the possibility of creating contextual architecture. At school, we mainly work with a similar context within Central Europe, which, despite differences between regions and cities, has similar features. We are used to it and have grown up in it. The capital of Vietnam was entirely different from what I know. The way people think, how they live, and how they dwell. For instance, I see that for people, perhaps the most important aspect is family life, which applies to young people as well. Many families live in modest conditions together, in houses that often have only a few square meters. Each additional generation builds another floor instead of building their own house, creating an informal structure of architecture in Hanoi. Moreover, the dynamics of the environment are different there; everything is in motion, and much changes right before our eyes. However, even there, people are starting to get used to the architecture of globalization, which one must adapt to. We tried to avoid that and aimed to adapt the architecture to the people, designing something that would not be a contradiction but would be part of the whole, even for us, almost in an extreme context. Therefore, I think it has given me a lot, and I want to be prepared for something similar in my future practice."
Comment by student Samuel Knutelský (3rd year BSP) "The environment of Hanoi provided me with a new perspective on the possibility of creating contextual architecture. At school, we mainly work with a similar context within Central Europe, which, despite differences between regions and cities, has similar features. We are used to it and have grown up in it. The capital of Vietnam was entirely different from what I know. The way people think, how they live, and how they dwell. For instance, I see that for people, perhaps the most important aspect is family life, which applies to young people as well. Many families live in modest conditions together, in houses that often have only a few square meters. Each additional generation builds another floor instead of building their own house, creating an informal structure of architecture in Hanoi. Moreover, the dynamics of the environment are different there; everything is in motion, and much changes right before our eyes. However, even there, people are starting to get used to the architecture of globalization, which one must adapt to. We tried to avoid that and aimed to adapt the architecture to the people, designing something that would not be a contradiction but would be part of the whole, even for us, almost in an extreme context. Therefore, I think it has given me a lot, and I want to be prepared for something similar in my future practice."
Thanks: Our great thanks for financial and all other support belong to the Faculty of Architecture VUT in Brno. We also thank architect/educator Nguyen Cong Hiep (Hanoi Architectural University) and architect Nguyen Duc Trung (ODDO architects), who were also co-leaders of the workshop. Thanks also go to CA Library and AgoHub Center for Architecture in Hanoi, who provided working facilities throughout the duration of the workshop.
Workshop Participants: Helena Jašíčková, Veronika Zytová, Natálie Březinová, Lauren Imari Cook, Martin Kuběna, Samuel Knutelský, Jan Valdhans, Do Quang Vu, Nguyen Thi Hai Ha, Pham Minh Hoang, Le Duc Minh, Hien Nguyen, Pham Quang Huy
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