Recently, at the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology, five Ha Nhi craftsmen from Y Ty Commune, Lao Cai Province, completed the renovation and repair of a traditional house built more than 20 years ago. This original structure was constructed by earlier generations of Ha Nhi artisans. As with many houses in the museum’s grounds, restoration and repair are carried out under strict requirements regarding structure, materials, and construction techniques to ensure the integrity of traditional aesthetics and long-term durability.
Dr Vi Van An, former Head of the Research Department at the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology, who directly conducted surveys and worked with local communities from 1998 to build the Ha Nhi house at the museum, shared that in 2004, museum staff coordinated with the local community to source suitable clay from Hoa Binh to ensure material authenticity. More than 20 craftsmen participated in the construction, using about 150 cubic metres of earth, 14 cubic metres of stone, along with fresh bamboo, rubble, and around 1,800 bundles of thatch to complete the 81-square-metre house with 45-centimetre-thick walls.
The traditional square-shaped house, with a thatched roof and built from clay mixed with soft stone, fresh bamboo, and rubble, represents the crystallisation of indigenous knowledge accumulated over generations. Today, under the impact of urbanisation, almost no original traditional houses remain in Y Ty Commune. Many houses retain rammed-earth wall techniques but have replaced thatched roofs with corrugated iron or fibre cement. The shortage of local materials has been evident for years and is becoming increasingly apparent. Therefore, the Ha Nhi house in Ha Noi is not only a piece of folk architecture but also a repository of knowledge reflecting the cultural life of the community.
Through the restoration of the Ha Nhi house at the museum, it can be seen that preservation relies heavily on the role of the community. Most structures in the museum were built by experienced artisans, many of whom are no longer alive more than 20 years later. Today, their descendants, who have inherited traditional techniques, return to repair houses originally built by their predecessors. This latest restoration involved younger craftsmen such as Ly Xe Xa (born in 1990).
To ensure authenticity, the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology uses local or equivalent materials and maintains close connections with communities, especially the descendants of artisans. Each restoration involves two generations of craftsmen, with senior artisans playing a leading role in guiding younger ones in practice and skill acquisition.
In addition, the search for clay, wood, bamboo, and thatch is becoming increasingly difficult, prompting conservation efforts to proactively adopt appropriate solutions to preserve the essence of the heritage. To ensure authenticity, the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology uses local or equivalent materials and maintains close connections with communities, especially the descendants of artisans. Each restoration involves two generations of craftsmen, with senior artisans playing a leading role in guiding younger ones in practice and skill acquisition. This continuity helps preserve traditional knowledge such as the methods for thatching and repairing rammed-earth walls.
Not only the Ha Nhi house, but also the communal house of the Ba Na people, and in the future houses of the Tay people, undergo restoration with the participation of two generations of craftsmen to ensure the transmission of traditional skills. Alongside on-site preservation and intergenerational transmission, digital transformation is being implemented in heritage conservation.
Each architectural work at the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology has its own scientific dossier linked with digital data for research and display purposes. Over the years, the museum has developed a database of artefacts, implemented 3D exhibitions, and applied hologram technology. In the coming time, the entire exhibition space will continue to be digitised, aiming to establish a virtual museum for research and heritage presentation.
Le Hai Dang, Director of the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology
Le Hai Dang, Director of the Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology, said that each architectural work at the museum has its own scientific dossier linked with digital data for research and display purposes. Over the years, the museum has developed a database of artefacts, implemented 3D exhibitions, and applied hologram technology. In the coming time, the entire exhibition space will continue to be digitised, aiming to establish a virtual museum for research and heritage presentation.
Separated from their original ecological environments and placed in a new context, traditional houses become special cultural institutions that both preserve memory and serve as spaces for cultural practice and presentation. Educational activities, exhibitions, and folk performances enable the public to directly engage with and experience vibrant community life.
The study and interpretation of folk knowledge embedded in each layer of materials and architectural structure will continue to clarify the value and diversity of Viet Nam’s ethnic cultures. The combination of scientific knowledge and the practical experience of cultural bearers is shaping a community-based preservation approach, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of safeguarding traditional architecture. At the same time, the application of digital technology is expanding access and promoting heritage values, thereby ensuring their sustainable presence in contemporary life.
