VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese architects have created unique houses and a coffee shop that have won international architecture awards for their use of traditional materials in Vietnam like bamboo and wood. Here are the three most famous bamboo-made houses in Vietnam.

1. Trang Bang bamboo house - Tay Ninh province

The house was built from 2008 to 2010 in Trang Bang District, Tay Ninh Province, 50km from HCM City. With an area of 2,000 m2, owned and designed by Mr. Dang Hao, the house is made of wood and bamboo, bought in the neighborhood, while the roof was thatched with coconut leaves, a very common tree in the southern region. Along with the open space, the house is surrounded by green rice fields.

The house is loved by those who prefer a natural, pure lifestyle. In 2012 the house was advertised for sale on The Wall Street Journal for a million US dollars. But to own the house, the buyers have to pass a special interview of the owner to determine their love of nature and if they live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

2. Wind and Water Bar, Binh Duong province

With the special creation of architect Vo Trong Nghia and his co-workers, the Wind and Water cafe was awarded the International Architecture Award 2008. This is the unique architecture built by tam vong trees, which is very common in Binh Duong.

The Wind and Water Bar was completed in January 2008 in Binh Duong Province with an area of approximately 270m2. This work was completed in three months and won the gold medal of the ARCASIA 2011 Award, the Future Green Architecture Award 2011 and the International Architecture Awards - IAA of the United States in 2009.

The dome of the work is made of bamboo with a height of 10m, using 48 pillars. Each pillar is combined by a lot of bamboo sticks. Above the dome is an open space of 1.5m wide for ventilation and daylight. The work is built on a lake so that there is fresh air.

The Wind and Water Bar is one of the first works of famous architect Vo Trong Nghia in Vietnam. This cafe has an area of up to 1.200m2. It won second prize for the international bamboo work in 2007 and the IAA awards 2007 and 2008.

The time for design and construction of the work was one year, with a total cost of VND1.5 billion ($75,000).

The whole work is built from 7,000 nulgar bamboo trees – the traditional, friendly material for the Vietnamese people. The work does not use concrete columns or abutments. The V-shaped roof is linked by thousands of bamboo trees.

There is an artificial lake amid the cafe. At first glance, the lake bottom looks very deep, but actually the water is up to the knees only.

3. Bamboo Wing Restaurant, Dai Lai - Vinh Phuc

Built in Dai Lai Resort, Vinh Phuc Province in July 2009, the Bamboo Wing is inspired by flying birds above the water. The 12m bamboo structure is designed by the self balancing rule, freeing a large space before diners' eyes.

Like many previous works, Vo Trong Nghia once again uses a lake to create a cool space without using air conditioners. This work won many international awards, including the Green Architecture Prize in 2012 and the 2011 IAA Award.

Inspired by nature, “Bamboo wing” takes the form of bird wings and floats over the natural landscape of the site situated near Hanoi, Vietnam. The aim of the project was to study bamboo and the potential space it can create by using bamboo not only as a finishing material but as a structural one. This building is a pure bamboo structure, using no steel or other man-made structural materials.

This unique structure, flying over the sky as bird wings, allows us to experience a 12 meter open space without any vertical columns. The open space can be used for many purposes such as wedding parties, live music concerts, ceremonies etc. This is an achievement not only in terms of structures in bamboo but it also creates a new trend for new ecological materials, which are easily available in Vietnam.

The shape of the roof as bird wings is good for capturing the wind inside the building. This contributes to the ecological aspect by minimizing the use of an air conditioner. With its deep eaves and water in open spaces, people feel as if they are living in nature.

Compiled by Pha Le