Vietnam Architecture

Group 5
Vietnam

▪ Located on the Eastern margin of the Indo-Chinese peninsula

▪ Occupies about 331,211.6 sq. km. of which about 25% was under cultivation
in 1987
▪ It borders the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and Pacific Sea, alongside
China, Laos, and Cambodia.
▪ The S-shaped country has a north-to-south distance of 1,650 kilometers
and is about 50 kilometers wide at the narrowest point.
▪ With a coastline of 3,260 kilometers, excluding islands, Vietnam claims 12
nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) as the limit of its territorial waters, an
additional 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) as a contiguous customs and
security zone, and 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) as an exclusive
economic zone.
Vietnam

▪ Vietnam offers ideal advantages for economic development, trade

and tourism.
▪ Mountains and tropical forest cover three quarters of Vietnam, but
the flatlands make up the most heavily populated portion of the
country. The country’s two “rice bowls” lie in the Red River delta in
the North and the Mekong River delta in the South.
▪ Hanoi, the nation’s capital, lies on the banks of the Red River. It is not
only the country’s political, cultural and educational capital but also
the most important economic center in the North.
Vietnam: Climate
Vietnam Architecture
Vietnam: Climate

Because of its geography, the climate in Vietnam varies greatly from

North to South with three distinct climatic zones. Tropical monsoons occur
from October to April in the centre and from May to September in the north
and south. It is almost totally dry throughout the rest of the year. It can get
exceptionally hot, however, all year round, but the north has a cooler time
between October and April. Temperature around the country can reach up to
40 C in the height of the hot and rainy season (May to September), but the
northern highlands and Hanoi can often seem chilly and damp in the winter.
Vietnam: Religion
Vietnam Architecture
Vietnam: Religion

Religion has exerted a deep influence on Vietnamese culture and the

Vietnamese concept of life. The attitude towards life, death, and the world
beyond bears a deep imprint of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
-Buddhism
-Confucianism
-Taoism
-Christianity
-Other religions
Buddhism

The predominant religion in Vietnam is Buddhism, which is also

one of the world's great religions. Buddhism was introduced into
Vietnam under the Chinese domination, in the second century B.C.,
by Chinese immigrants and by Indian preachers coming by sea.
Buddhism became the state religion of Vietnam under Ly Dynasty
(1010-1214). Several kings took the cassock or retired into a pagoda
after their abdication. Buddhist monks served as counselors to the
king at court. Since the Tran Dynasty (1225-1440), Buddhism has lost
the status of a state religion but nevertheless remained the dominant
religion in Vietnam and a major cultural force.
Buddhism

This core of Buddhist teaching holds that there are eight "right"
ways to live virtuously: right views, right thought, right conduct, right
speech, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right
meditation. An individual's fate in this existence is determined by
what he has done in his previous existence. This is the law of Karma,
or cause and effect.
There are two branches of Buddhism: Hinayana (Little Vehicle)
also called Theravada Buddhism, which nourishes in Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Burma; and Mahayana (Great
Vehicle) Buddhism which is found in China, Korea, Japan, and
Vietnam. Most Vietnamese Buddhists belong to the Mahayana
branch. The Theravada branch exists in communities of ethnic
Cambodians and Vietnamese living in the Mekong Delta.
Confucianism

Confucianism is more of a religious and social philosophy than a

religion in the accepted meaning of the word. It has no church, no clergy,
and no Bible. It advocates a code of social behavior that man ought to
observe so as to live in harmony with society and attain happiness in his
individual life. There is little concern about death, the world beyond, and
spiritual feelings in this religion.
Confucianism was introduced into Vietnam as early as the first
century, during the Chinese domination. Two Chinese governors at that
time, Hsi Kwang and Jen Yen, were most instrumental in its introduction. It
was after Vietnam achieved independence that Chinese influence and
Confucianism became important in Vietnam. Because of a political
philosophy that was favorable for the monarchy, Confucianism was
promoted and supported by the government.
Taoism

Another religion which has a deep imprint on the way of life of the
Vietnamese is Taoism. Taoism was introduced into Vietnam during the
Chinese domination period. By the time Vietnam recovered its
independence, it had become one of the main religious faiths of the
Vietnamese people. Under the succeeding dynasties, Taoism became a
source of inspiration for poets and writers. From the end of the Tran
dynasty, Taoism began to turn to mysticism and polytheism. It was this
mystic aspect of Taoism that appealed to the common people of Vietnam.
Christianity

Although a main religion of the world, Christianity does not play a

major role in the culture of Vietnam. It was introduced into Vietnam rather
late, in the second half of the sixteenth century, by Portuguese, Spanish
and French European missionaries. The first missionary, Ignatio, came to
Vietnam in 1533. In the first half of the seventeenth century, the Jesuits
came to Vietnam and founded in Hoi-An the Cochinchina's mission. In
1626, Alexandre de Rhodes was chosen to head the Jesuit mission in
North Vietnam. He published a catechism book in Latin and Vietnamese in
1650 and the first Vietnamese, Portuguese and Latin dictionary in 1651 in
Rome. Christianity began to develop rapidly.
Christianity

About the middle of the seventeenth century, preaching of

Christianity was banned in Vietnam. Despite the proscription, Catholic
missionaries continued their evangelization of Vietnam. Today there are
about three million Christians in Vietnam, most of them Catholics.
Although they represented a small percentage of the population, the
Catholics played an important role in the political life of Vietnam during
the last three decades prior to the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Other Religions

There are two religious sects, Cao Dai and HoaHao, which have
recently been established in Vietnam. They have been confined to the
rural sectors of the Southern Delta region. Their influence on Vietnamese
culture has been insignificant.
– Caodaism is a synthesis of different beliefs, including the teaching of Buddha, Jesus,
Confucius, Lao-Tse, Victor Hugo, and so on. It was founded in 1919 by Le Van Trung
who established a priestly hierarchy modeled along Roman Catholic lines. The seat of
Caodaism is in TayNinh, about 60 miles from Saigon. The adherents to Caodaism have
been estimated at about one million.
– HoaHao is a reformed Buddhist sect of the Theravada variety. It was founded in 1939
by Huynh Phu So, who later was killed by the communists. This religious sect is
concentrated in the Mekong Delta with a membership estimated at about two million.
Vietnam: Geology
Vietnam Architecture
 Vietnam: Geology

Mining
Vietnam's mineral resources, apart from offshore oil and gas,
include phosphate, coal, bauxite, base and precious metals, and a variety
of industrial minerals. More than 5,000 mineral occurrences have been
identified. Five broadly-defined metallogenic epochs have been
recognized and, in general, the younger the setting the more abundant
the deposits. Only a few are hosted by Precambrian rocks,
principally iron, gold and graphite. The early to mid-Palaeozoic contains
small deposits of iron ore, lead–zinc and large deposits of potash. Larger
deposits of iron ore, limonite, gold, nickel–copper and bauxite were
formed during the early Carboniferous/late Triassic
 Vietnam: Geology

Geothermal energy
In the territory of Vietnam, more than 300
natural geothermal sources have been recorded and six geothermal
regions have been defined: Northwest, Northeast, Bac Bo plan, North
central part, South central part, and Southern plain. Vietnam has a
remarkable potential for geothermal resources. Especially, Northwestern
Vietnam is the most prospective region for geothermal exploration and
development. Dr. Doan Van Tuyen from the Institute of Geological
Sciences of the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology
commented, "Compared with the rest of the world, Vietnam has medium
potential for geothermal energy development. However, geothermal
energy resources are available not just in one place, but throughout the
country. Therefore, most localities can make use of this type of energy."
 Vietnam: Geology

Volcanic activity
Vietnam has 6 volcanoes, Bas ĐồngNai, Cu-Lao Re Group, Haut ĐồngNai, Toroeng
Prong, Veteran and Ile des Cendres which had the most recent eruption in 1923.
Geological parks
The Dong Van Highlands, encompassing total area of more than 574 square
kilometers in HàGiang Province's QuảnBạ, Yên Minh, ĐồngVăn and MèoVạc districts,
could eventually be recognized as a UNESCO Global Geological Park.
UNESCO Vietnam has sent an application based on a recent study which
concluded that limestone can be found in 11 layers on 80 percent of the surface of
the plateau. Two of the layers are sediment dating from 400 to 600 million years ago. It
will be only the second geological park in Southeast Asia after Langkawi Geological
Park in Malaysia and the 54th in the world.
Vietnam: Period of
Development
Vietnam Architecture
Vietnam: Period of Development

Until French colonization in the middle of the 19th

century, Vietnam's economy was mainly agrarian and village-
oriented. French colonizers, however, deliberately developed the
regions differently, designating the South for agricultural production
and the North for manufacturing. Though the plan exaggerated
regional divisions, the development of exports--coal from the
North, rice from the South—and the importation of French
manufactured goods stimulated internal commerce
Vietnam: Period of Development

1976 and 1986, for annual growth rates for industry, agriculture,
and national income and aimed to integrate the North and the South,
the plan's aims were not achieved: the economy remained
dominated by small-scale production, low labor productivity,
unemployment, material and technological shortfalls, and
insufficient food and consumer goods. The more modest goals of the
Third Five-Year Plan (1981–1985) were a compromise between
ideological and pragmatic factions; they emphasized the
development of agriculture and industry. Efforts were also made to
decentralize planning and improve the managerial skills of
government officials.
Vietnam: Period of Development

In 1986 Vietnam launched a political and economic renewal

campaign (DoiMoi) that introduced reforms intended to facilitate the
transition from a centrally planned economy to form of market
socialism officially termed "Socialist-oriented market economy."
DoiMoi combined economic planning with free-market incentives
and encouraged the establishment of private businesses in the
production of consumer goods and foreign investment, including
foreign-owned enterprises. By the late 1990s, the success of the
business and agricultural reforms ushered in under DoiMoi was
evident. More than 30,000 private businesses had been created, and
the economy was growing at an annual rate of more than 7 percent,
and poverty was nearly halved
Vietnam: Period of Development

In 2001 the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) approved a 10-

year economic plan that enhanced the role of the private sector while
reaffirming the primacy of the state sector in the economy. However,
between 2003 and 2005 Vietnam fell dramatically in the World
Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report rankings,
largely due to negative perceptions of the effectiveness of
government institutions. Official corruption is endemic, and
Vietnam lags in property rights, the efficient regulation of markets,
and labor and financial market reforms. Although Vietnam's
economy, which continues to expand at an annual rate in excess of 7
percent, is one of the fastest-growing in the world, the economy is
growing from an extremely low base, reflecting the crippling effect of
the Second Indochina War (1954–75) and repressive economic
measures introduced in its aftermath.
Architecture
Vietnam Architecture
 Brief History of Vietnam Architecture

Vietnam architecture is a composition of both Asian and European

style. Its history can be divided into highlight stages, namely ancient
architecture, colonial architecture, new architecture, and contemporary
architecture.
Vietnam Ancient Architecture
Vietnam ancient architecture mostly used timber frame structures like
traditional wooden Vietnamese houses combined with other supporting
materials such as bricks, stones, tiles, soils, straws, and bamboos. There
really is no difference or division on the texture of different work
categories in this architectural style. Based on characteristics as well as
the nature and structures of these materials, Vietnam does not really
retain any massive monuments as in other countries.
Vietnam Architecture

Building materials: they also maintain less permanent characters with the
exception of public works: bricks, stones, timber (hardwood). Most of
them brought available local materials into play such as leaves, thatches,
bamboos, carved woods, baked or unbaked clays, muds and straws.
Structure: wooden frames, mortises and tenons (no use of nails), purlin
wood trusses, rafters, canopy pillars depending on geographical
conditions could change the floor structure, yet there exist no floors or
multiple floors as other countries. In addition, the roof slope is often quite
high as a result of using leaves, thatches, or tiles (the slope is more than
45 degrees).
Vietnam Architecture

Decoration: public works are usually tiled (royal palace, temples...) with
dragon head or fish head at the corner of the roof top...and carved
decorations of the quartet of traditional motifs (Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise,
Phoenix) or a tiger, a fish...
Physical architecture: maintaining natural ventilation; simultaneously,
whole house is sealed by walls and roofs. Besides, houses’ direction is
generally the south (cool breezes blowing in the summer), 2 wings of the
house would be east - west direction against solar heat in the morning and
in the afternoon.
Vietnam Architecture

Colonial Architecture
This type of the architecture could be imported from Western
countries, along with the arrival of the French into Vietnam in the late 19th -
early 20th century. This kind of architecture was developed in parallel with
the process of colonial exploitation of the colonialism. Particular
characteristics of geographical and climatic conditions are relatively
different; as a result, the European-style architecture had to have certain
changes in order to harmonize Vietnam’s conditions
New Architecture
This type of the architecture could be formed from the mid-20th
century, after the exit of Vietnam's colonial period from the French. Based
on different historic conditions, the architecture in the north and the south
are also subject certain effects.
Vietnam Architecture

Contemporary Architecture
The development of economy as well as the process of international
integration after the renewal period along with the introduction of many
different architectural flows into Vietnam formed a new architectural trend.
In opening stages, this architectural style much brought chaos by copying
foreign architectural features. Currently, Vietnam architects are still on the
way to find out their own path.
However, there has been an appearance of some new architectural
trends in modern styles from 2003 up to now. Still not clear, it has been
partly reflected the integration of architects in Vietnam to the world.
Together with forms usually seen in the street, utilities are also studied
more seriously, better creating convenience for users.
 Vietnam Architecture

Nguyen Dynasty
At the beginning of 19th century, the Nguyen Dynasty moved the country’s capital
to Hue. Hue’s architecture was regarded as a collection of traditional influences which
relied on flat surfaces, citadel and urban centers, interior decoration, and scenery
structures.
Ly Dynasty
Ly Dynasty started a new change in architectural development during the 11th
century during the development of a feudal-country. Five orthodox styles: citadels,
palaces, castles, pagodas, and houses was the general characteristics of the architecture
at that time (the 11th and 12th century)
Ly Dynasty’s architectural characteristics of the were residential complexes, more
ornamental roofs, doors, door-steps, banisters, and rounded statues, all in a reflectional
design for the climate and costumes of Vietnamese people and country. Streets, ground
and stilt houses, markets, in popular architectural design simultaneously developed as
palaces of the royal.
Vietnam Architecture

Le Dynasty
In 15th century, the country was governed Le Dynasty, there are two
dominant styles orthodox architecture: the royal tomb and the imperial palace.
However, the religious preference style was popular from the 16th to 17th century.
Tran Dynasty
The popular architecture models in the Tran Dynasty were the royal pagoda,
house, temple, palace, and citadel.
Another outstanding example of the architectural style of the Tran Dynasty
time is the complexity and structure of Pho Minh Pagoda. The structure includes
the main hall, lobby, and sanctuary.
The interior garden is an important part in the traditional architectural style
as it reflects the oriental space concept.
Vietnam Architecture

ModernTemporary Architecture
Characteristics of Vietnam Architecture were reflected by new
style brought by European urban planning and the interaction
between French and Oriental cultures at the end of the 19th century.
Nowadays, there are five main domains in architectural
development: environmental design, urban planning, interior design,
architectural design, and regional planning. At the same time, issues
on urban area’s spontaneous development, protection of
architectural relics, and house-building strategies urgently need
solutions.
Architectural Influences
Vietnam Architecture
Architectural Influences

▪ Stilt-Houses
▪ Pagoda
▪ Temples
▪ Palaces
▪ Communal Houses
▪ Aristocracies