ΔΕ008.23 | Lung Vai School

Project Name: Lung Vai School

Office Name: 1+1>2 Architects

Office Website: 112.com.vn

Social Media Accounts: amedia@112.com.vn

Completion Year: 2020

Gross Built Area (m2/ ft2): 250m2

Project Location: Xa Minh Tan, Huyen Vi Xuyen, Tinh Ha Giang, Viet Nam

Lead Architects: KTS Hoang Thuc Hao, KTS Tran Hong Nam, KTS Nguyen Hanh Le

Photographer: Trieu Chien, Son Vu

Mushroom springs from the ground

Lung Vai village located atop a craggy mountain where the Hmong people reside. The lack of a road network makes accessibility extremely difficult. During the construction process, people from Lung Vai and the neighboring village of Bac Sum joined hands to pave the way, enabling construction materials to be transported more easily. Without electricity and  water is scarce, the construction work was carefully managed to maximize local materials and labor use.The design of Lung Vai school adapted traditional rammed earth wall technique that help the 

school to blend in the village.

The school comprises three classrooms, two for kindergarten and one for elementary school. Corridors, classrooms and toilets sit under a large curved iron roof that resembles a flying saucer perched on the hillside or a forest mushroom springing up from the ground. Viewed from above, the construction brings to mind a terraced field with sparkling water mirroring the mountains and forest scenery.

The curved mud walls embrace the terrain making the classrooms seem to burst from and absorb nature, eliminating the boundary between inside and outside. Thanks to the thick mud wall system, large windows and skylights in the roof, ventilation is assured. Sufficient lighting and air circulation make the school appear like a natural entity.