Business
‘Don’t want to move’: The race to save Hanoi’s crumbling villas
BY Alice PHILIPSON
AFP Hanoi (Vietnam) In a small corner of a once-grand villa in the heart of Hanoi, Nguyen Manh Tri surveys the home he has loved since childhood but is now giving up as its foundation cracks, roof crumbles and staircase buckles.Tri, 47, lives in three rooms of the subdivided house, one of around 1,200 French-style villas in the city on a list of protected homes published this year.
Most of the villas are close to a century old, built during French colonial rule, and have been degraded by age and humidity. The five families living inside face cramped, damp and noisy conditions.Despite their protected status, the future of these homes — and their inhabitants — hangs in the balance, say architects, as residents struggle to afford their upkeep and the state flip-flops over how best to preserve the crumbling heritage of Vietnam’s capital.
“When I was a kid, I remember this was a beautiful house,” said Tri of the 1930s villa where he was born, which weaves local design and elements of the Art Deco movement.
“It was romantic. I could hear the bell from the post office and the sound of the train in Hanoi station.”
But since then the outer shell of his home has begun to crumble and inside “the structure of the house has been deformed” as families built makeshift extensions, trying to eke out a little more space, Tri told AFP.Cracks are spreading across the walls, ceilings and balconies, and clay tiles plunge from the wide, overhanging roof — prompting his family’s decision to move out.
– ‘Damage and collapse’ –
The listed villas — now often hidden behind cafes, noodle shops and fashion boutiques — were built both by the French and by Vietnamese architects for their wealthy compatriots working under the colonial power.
When the French left in 1954, thousands of these homes were taken over by the communist government and turned into offices, while authorities required any owners still in Vietnam to divide up their property and give portions to poor Vietnamese.Some private owners, such as Tri, are now keen to escape the villas for modern apartments, but others prefer to stay despite the poor conditions and without knowing if their homes will survive the coming decades.
“I have been living here my whole life, so I don’t want to move anywhere else,” said 65-year-old Hoang Chung Thuy, who shares her three-storey villa with 10 other households, a seafood restaurant, a clothes shop and a tea stall.
She cannot fix the crumbling walls without approval and money from her neighbours upstairs but she is determined not to leave the house her grandparents built.Tran Huy Anh of the Hanoi Architect Association says without proper maintenance, these buildings “risk damage and collapse”.
“Those built at the beginning of the 20th century… need continuous renovation and maintenance every 20 to 30 years, it should not be longer.”
In 2015, two people died when a villa built in 1905 — and home to around 20 people — fell to pieces.
$1 million restoration –
Authorities first drew up regulations to protect the villas in 2013, but have gone back and forth over the path forward for the homes.A large swathe of villas has already been razed, Anh says, while in April the city announced a plan to sell 600 of those owned by the state, before retracting the idea just days later.Now Hanoi says it aims to renovate 60 by 2025, but faces long drawn-out negotiations to convince each and every resident to move.
It took a decade for the first project — a $1 million restoration of an old villa — to begin.But now the city is determined to return the house to its former glory, says Pham Tuan Long, an architect and chairman of Hoan Kiem district, where this villa and Tri’s are found.
“We are trying to preserve the original elements and architectural values as much as possible by using traditional materials and traditional renovation techniques,” Long said.
But just a few streets away, Tri packs up his home, uncertain of its future. Moving out is difficult, he says, but even harder is imagining a time when the house is no longer standing.
“It has been a part of my life. This house is the place where I was born, got married, had my kids,” he said.
“But we can’t get out of this situation.”
The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) proudly facilitated the first-ever Sri Lankan delegation’s participation at Drupa 2024, the world’s largest trade fair for the printing industry and technology. Held after an eight-year hiatus, Drupa 2024 was a landmark event, marking significant advancements and opportunities in the global printing industry.
AHK Sri Lanka played a pivotal role in organising and supporting the delegation, which comprised 17 members from the Sri Lanka Association for Printers (SLAP), representing eight companies from the commercial, newspaper, stationery printing, and packaging industries. This pioneering effort by AHK Sri Lanka not only showcased the diverse capabilities of Sri Lanka’s printing sector but also facilitated vital bilateral discussions with key stakeholders from the German printing industry.
Business
Unveiling Ayugiri: Browns Hotels & Resorts sets the stage for a new era in luxury Ayurveda Wellness
In a captivating reimagining of luxury wellness tourism, Browns Hotels & Resorts proudly unveiled the exquisite Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya. This momentous occasion, celebrated amidst a vibrant and serene grand opening on the 6th of June, heralds a new chapter in the Ayurveda wellness tourism landscape in Sri Lanka. Nestled amidst 54 acres of unspoiled natural splendour, Ayugiri features 22 exclusive suites and stands out as the only luxury Ayurveda wellness resort in the country offering plunge pools in every room, rendering it truly one-of-a-kind.
The grand opening of Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort was an enchanting event, where guests were captivated by the melodies of flutists and violinists resonating through Sigiriya’s lush landscapes. As traditional drummers and dancers infused the air with vibrant energy, Browns Hotels & Resorts’ CEO, Eksath Wijeratne, Kotaro Katsuki, Acting Ambassador for the Embassy of Japan and General Manager, Buwaneka Bandara, unveiled the resort’s new logo, marking a significant moment witnessed by distinguished guests from the French Embassy, Ayurveda and wellness enthusiasts along with officials from the Sigiriya area, LOLC Holdings and Browns Group.
“Our strategic expansion into wellness tourism with Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya symbolises a significant milestone for Browns Hotels & Resorts. Wellness tourism has consistently outperformed the overall tourism industry for over a decade, reflecting a growing global interest in travel that goes beyond leisure to offer rejuvenation and holistic well-being. By integrating the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda with modern luxury, we aim to set a new standard in luxury wellness tourism in Sri Lanka. Whether your goal is prevention, healing, or a deeper connection to inner harmony, Ayugiri offers a sanctuary for holistic well-being” stated Eksath Wijeratne.
Ayugiri encapsulates the essence of life, inspired by the lotus flower held by the graceful queens of the infamous Sigiriya frescoes. Just as the lotus emerges from the murky depths, untainted and serene,
Ayugiri invites guests on a journey of purity and rejuvenation, harmonised with a balance of mind, body and spirit, the essence of nature, echoes of culture and the wisdom of ancient Ayurvedic healing.
HNB General Insurance, one of Sri Lanka’s leading general insurance providers, has been honored as the Best General Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka 2024 by the prestigious Global Banking and Finance Review – UK.
The esteemed accolade underscores HNB General Insurance’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its outstanding performance in the field of bancassurance. Through dedication and hard work, the HNB General Insurance team has continuously endeavored to deliver innovative insurance solutions, cultivate strong relationships with banking partners, and provide unparalleled service to customers nationwide. This recognition is a testament to the team’s dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence in the bancassurance business.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which reflects our team’s tireless efforts and dedication to delivering value-added insurance solutions and exceptional service through our bancassurance partnerships,” said Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNB General Insurance. “This recognition reaffirms our position as a trusted insurance provider in Sri Lanka and motivates us to continue striving for excellence in serving our customers and communities.”
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