Architects urged to focus more on rural architecture, resilient houses

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged Vietnamese architects to work harder to seek architecture designs suitable to rural and flood-hit areas, thus promoting the socio-economic development of each locality and the whole country.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the event (Photo: VNA)
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the event (Photo: VNA)
Addressing a ceremony in Hanoi on April 21 to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Vietnam Association of Architects (VAA), the Prime Minister recognised contributions of architects to the development of both urban and rural areas.

However, he pointed out that over the past years, the number of architecture works and urban areas with high aesthetic and cultural values has remained few, while urban architecture stayed inharmonic. Many rural areas have been influenced by urbanisation, reducing traditional architectural values.

The PM asked the VAA and relevant State agencies to join hands in tackling these problems.

He quoted late President Ho Chi Minh as saying that it is necessary to pay special attention to develop houses in rural areas by seeking simple, dry and airy house designs at reasonable cost. 

Asserting that green architecture and green and smart urban development is the major trend of the world, he urged the VAA to take the pioneering role in shaping a Vietnamese architecture towards greener, more beautiful and modern with convenience, sage and humanitarian living spaces that are sustainable and friendly to the environment.

This is also part of efforts to deal with environmental instability, natural disasters and climate change impacts to which Vietnam is among the most vulnerable countries.

He suggested that the VAA should focus on a number of issues, including encouraging architects to improve their capacity and engage in socio-economic development movements of the country, while showing stronger performance in social consultations, supervision and criticism by giving ideas on the building of legal documents, strengthening IT application, and completing the VAA organisation.

The PM said that the Government hopes to listen to the voice of architects in developing the constructive administrative system to serve the people. 

According to VAA President Nguyen Tan Van, so far, Vietnam has more than 15,000 architects. From eight founding members in 1948, the VAA now groups over 4,000 members, he added.

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