Building traditional houses become new hobby of the rich
Many Vietnamese people have paid billions of VND to build and buy traditional houses.
Dao Van Manh, who has worked on various projects, said that there were three types of wooden houses that were popular including the ke truyen house of the north, the ruong house of Hue and the old traditional house of the southern region. Some people in the north also add modified Thai wooden stilt house to their property.
Ke truyen wooden houses are most popular and favoured in Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces. A traditional wooden house with all the pillars and brick roof costs at least VND10bn (USD440,000), Manh added.
Nhan hired nearly 1,000 artisans from Bac Ninh and Nam Dinh provinces to renovate seven old houses. Nine antique sets of tables and chairs worth VND5bn (USD220,000) and two beds also worth nearly VND3bn.
Meanwhile, well-known traditional house lover Le Van Tang from Quang Nam Province was a state official. But he quit to become a carpenter and renovated old houses that were at risk of disappearing during the urbanisation.
His son, Le Van Vinh, followed his step and became chairman of Vinahouse Corporation. They build a Vinahouse Space that covers 11,000 square metres and contains a huge collection of traditional frame houses. The outdoor showroom aims to become Vietnam's biggest traditional house museum.
"Houses built from common wood will cost VND400m (USD17,000) to VND500m. More spacious and detailed houses will cost more," he said.
Dao Van Manh, who has worked on various projects, said that there were three types of wooden houses that were popular including the ke truyen house of the north, the ruong house of Hue and the old traditional house of the southern region. Some people in the north also add modified Thai wooden stilt house to their property.
Ke truyen wooden houses are most popular and favoured in Hanoi, Vinh Phuc, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces. A traditional wooden house with all the pillars and brick roof costs at least VND10bn (USD440,000), Manh added.
Wooden furniture in a traditional Vietnamese house.
Farmer Vu Van Tuan in Hanoi was determined to build a traditional house even though everyone else told him to build a modern one when he became rich. Tuan refused to disclose the price of the house but said he had to ordered jackfruit wood from the southern provinces, Laos and Cambodia.Vu Van Tuan at his house
Bui Duc Giang, head of the Trading and Construction JSC 6, has completed an old house made from rosewood in the northern province of Dien Bien. The 500-square-metre stilt house with detailed wood carvings decorations is estimated to cost over VND200bn (USD8.8m).The stilt house of Bui Duc Giang in the northern province of Dien Bien is considered the biggest in Vietnam
Nhan's renovated houses
In 2008, he bought several old houses to renovate them into a unique complex. Talking about a 320-square-metre house, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Nhan's friend, said it was built from five detached houses. Those detached houses are nearly 150 years old and worth over VND50bn (USD2.2m).Nhan hired nearly 1,000 artisans from Bac Ninh and Nam Dinh provinces to renovate seven old houses. Nine antique sets of tables and chairs worth VND5bn (USD220,000) and two beds also worth nearly VND3bn.
Meanwhile, well-known traditional house lover Le Van Tang from Quang Nam Province was a state official. But he quit to become a carpenter and renovated old houses that were at risk of disappearing during the urbanisation.
His son, Le Van Vinh, followed his step and became chairman of Vinahouse Corporation. They build a Vinahouse Space that covers 11,000 square metres and contains a huge collection of traditional frame houses. The outdoor showroom aims to become Vietnam's biggest traditional house museum.
A part of Vinahouse Space
"Houses built from common wood will cost VND400m (USD17,000) to VND500m. More spacious and detailed houses will cost more," he said.
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