From December 26 to 28, 2019, DTU lecturers and students of Architecture took part in an international conference entitled “The Enlargement of the Network for Safeguarding and Developing the Cultural Heritage in the Mekong Basin Countries”. The meeting was held at the Bagan Cultural World Heritage site in Myanmar.
Researchers attending the conference
Dr.Arch. Le Vinh An talked about “The “Feng-Shui” principles of the ancient capital city of Hue in Vietnam, from both a macroscopic and microcosmic point of view, which was of great interest to the attendees.
Safeguarding and developing the cultural heritage of the Mekong basin countries
The countries bordering Mekong River basin are filled with much traditional and valuable architecture that must be preserved and safeguarded for future generations. The exact criteria for selection are, however, still unclear. The conference was organized by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and the Mandalay Technological University, in collaboration with the Burmese Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture and related organizations, to gather recommendations for heritage preservation and to discuss managed collaboration in the long-term interests of the communities involved.
DTU lecturers and students gave three research presentations:
- The “Feng-Shui” principles of the ancient capital city of Hue
- The architectural culture of Vietnam and Champa
- The architecture of Hue Imperial City,
Vietnamese architectural and cultural values were explained to the international audience.
Site planning of the mausoleums of the Minh Mang Emperors.
In his talk, Dr.Arch. Le Vinh An introduced the unique Feng-Shui principles applied during the construction of the Hue Ancient City at the beginning of the 19th century. By analyzing the overall urban planning principles, design and construction methods applied at the Hue Citadel, he explained how a harmonious blend of functionally useful architectural esthetics and the natural ecological environment centered on local hydrogeological conditions there. He proposed several suggestions to the conference for the development of a smart city, maintaining the culture of Vietnamese architecture in times of globalization.
Dr. Arch. Le Vinh An (first on left) with researchers from all over the world
Do Minh An, a DTU Architecture student, was attending an international conference for the first time and submitted a research paper. Minh An explained: “Attending this conference has allowed my colleagues and me to broaden our understanding of the value and uniqueness of traditional and esthetic architecture and its locations in the region. We were able to visit and admire the beauty of one thousand-year-old architecture with our own eyes, make new friends and learn from the discussions with highly experienced scientists.”
Future collaborations
The member institutions of the Association for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Mekong Basin Countries, who receive academic support from the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and from Waseda University in Japan, are:
- Duy Tan University in Vietnam
- Silpakorn University in Thailand
- Mandalay Technological University in Myanmar
- National University of Laos in Vientiane
- Norton University in Cambodia
After a discussion and reaching an understanding, the member institutions drew up plans to promote collaboration on high-quality Architecture and Heritage Tourism education.
DTU lecturers and student participants and presenters
The member universities agreed to work together on an international training program including:
- Annual international internships for Architecture students of member schools
- Architectural design project training for international students
- Workshops rotating between member schools on the preservation and exploitation of the value of traditional architecture
- The development of a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage network in the Mekong basin countries for lecturers and students.
DTU and Silpakorn University had already signed a lecturer and student exchange agreement in April 2019 and, in the second part of 2019–2020, Mandalay Technological University (Myanmar) will send five Architecture interns to DTU for three months to work on:
- A high-level hotel civil architecture design project
- A conference on preserving and exploiting the value traditional architecture
The topics are particularly relevant to students from Myanmar (with its famous heritage sites in Bagan and Mandalay), Thailand (in Bangkok and Ayutthaya), Cambodia (in Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom), Laos (in Vientiane and Luang Prabang and Vietnam (in Hue, Hoi An and My Son). The program will be extended to include students from other countries in the region in future phases.
Educating architects with the vital knowledge and skills to actively take part in the preservation and development of traditional architecture is of the upmost importance today. This partnership between DTU and the other member universities will provide an excellent opportunity to develop advanced educational programs with the help of leading experts in the preservation of cultural and and architectural heritage.
For detailed information, contact the DTU Enrollment Center: 254 Nguyen Van Linh, Danang.
Hotlines: 1900.2252 – 0905.294390 – 0905.294391.
Website: http://tuyensinh.duytan.edu.vn
Email: tuyensinh@duytan.edu.vn
Facebook: tuyensinhDTU
(Media Center)