An elderly man in the southern province of An Giang has built a nine-storey bamboo house, which he uses as an escape from daily life and a place from which to watch the world around him.

Duong Van Duong, 92, began building the house 40 years ago in Cho Moi District.

When DTiNews visited, he and his son were cutting bamboo to repair the structure, which stands nearly 15 metres high. Each storey is 1.6 metres.

Mr. Duong sitting on the first floor of his bamboo house

Duong said he uses the house to rest, work, and simply watch the world around him.

He is climbing to the top floor

He can still get to the top floor in minutes by climbing the walls, but his sons have told him to take it easy because of his advancing age.

Duong said he got the idea for the house after building a bamboo shelter for some silk cotton trees in his garden, which grew into a tent-like structure for storing furniture. He would sit on top to get some fresh air, and gradually he added more storeys so he could get higher.

He used bamboo sections of different lengths to make walls and floors.

The bamboo house is about 40 years old 

Luu Van Khon, chairman of the Hoa Binh Commune People’s Committee, told DTiNews  local authorities visited the house and decided it posed no threat, but advised him not to build any more storeys out of concern for his age and safety.

Duong now mostly uses only the lower storeys, where he also repairs mouse traps.