H&P Architects is proving to be one of Vietnam’s leading sustainable architecture firms. From airy, bamboo huts in the country’s rural heartland, to the recently completed, Bamboo–Earth–Stone Pavilion in Ha Tinh, the firm’s designs show a clear understanding that it’s better embrace and work within the context of one’s environment rather than destroy it. Now they’re bringing their creative designs to Milan for Expo 2015.
The Milan Expo 2015 will focus on the tradition, creativity and innovation in the business of food. “It seeks to set them out anew in light of new global possibilities whose common core is the idea that everyone on the planet should have access to food that is healthy, safe and sufficient.”
Vietnam, a global leader in rice, coffee and many other staples, is one of the 157 nations participating in the Expo.
With food in mind, H&P’s concept proposal for Vietnam’s Pavilion strives to intertwine Vietnam’s symbolic, rich rice-growing heritage with sustainable materials including reclaimed wood. The structure is based on a steel frames, connected by simple joins or overlapping.
From the architect:
Vietnam is one of the wet rice civilization’s cradles – the civilization that based on the cultivation on the terraces field to take shape. The wet rice civilization played the role of forming the community’s settlement and settled agriculture and immaterial culture achievement, which is the neighborhood culture. The solution is to create a symbolic image with a simple installation method at a low cost.
The steel structure frames are covered by miscellaneous wood which is salvaged to reduce the cost. The structure has multiple functions: force resistance, planter, space for exhibits/furnishings, technical use – water/electricity supply/escape. The field covering the building helps conditioning the microclimate, provides food and creates the symbolic image (the mixing of the terraces field and the traditional house’s roof) for both interior and exterior.
The building seems to grow from the ground, the steep of the volume helps making good views from all approaching directions. The concept is hoped to be a good suggestion for the development of agriculture in the future while the farming area is being reduced due to the uncontrolled urbanization.
The multiplication of the “field” inside the urban is a guarantee for the energy of the future life. The complex between agriculture and architecture is the base for the sustainable development.
