The 17th “Bui Xuan Phai: For the Love of Hanoi” Awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Temple of Literature in the capital city on October 8, with the Grand Prize honouring architect Hoang Dao Kinh.
Leaving a mark of intellect on a series of architectural works
The architect has left his mark across Vietnam, with heritage projects in Hue, Hoi An, My Son, and especially in Hanoi, his birthplace.
For the last nearly 50 years, Kinh has substantially contributed to the restoration of many cultural and architectural structures nationwide. In particular, he is deeply attached to his hometown, Hanoi, through the rehabilitation of various historical relics and cultural heritage sites symbolising the millennium-old city.
With his dedication to preserving cultural heritage and monuments across the country, especially in Hanoi, over the last 50 decades, Kinh was honoured with the Grand Prize “For the Love of Hanoi”.
Architect Hoang Dao Kinh’s career spans from the north to the south, with heritage projects in Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, My Son, among others. However, he holds a profound connection to his birthplace, Hanoi, with a deep love for the capital city’s historical sites and cultural heritage, which are symbols of the thousand-year city.
For this reason, his friends and colleagues call him the “knight of architectural monuments.”
“I am most deeply connected with Hanoi, both in my professional work and my thinking. But seriously, what I have accomplished for Hanoi in tangible terms may not be much, because there are not always opportunities. However, I have spent a lot of time and effort on taking care of Hanoi’s relics, and I am satisfied with the things I’ve been able to do.”
Humble as he may be, a brief listing of his works reveals impressive accomplishments. Notable contributions include his lead role in the restoration of Tay Dang Communal House, Kim Lien Pagoda, Tay Phuong Pagoda, Thay Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, and the Hanoi Opera House. These are iconic monuments that embody the enduring historical and cultural values of Hanoi over time.
Regarding the Temple of Literature, Kinh’s major contribution to the conservation and restoration of the relic site is the design of the roofs for the 82 stone steles, which were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World List in 1992.
In the 1990s, several options were proposed to protect the valuable steles at the Temple of Literature from environmental impacts. These included plans to create a modern roof using alloy components and glass panels, as well as using chemicals to preserve the surface of the steles. However, these proposals were critiqued as unsuitable and had not been tested in practice.
“Then we came up with the solution of creating roofs with traditional architecture that would not contrast with the relics and would be easy to build. To avoid creating large stele houses that would challenge the nearby Khue Van Cac and the courtyard space, we divided them into two rows, eight stele houses, in proportion to the Temple of Literature complex,” recalled Kinh.
Apart from the Grand Prize, three others were also presented at the ceremony.
The Work Prize went to a book entitled “Ha Noi thoi can dai – Tu nhuong dia den thanh pho (1873 – 1945)” (Hanoi in Modern Times – from Conceded Territory to City) by Dao Thi Dien. This is a meticulous and comprehensive study of the transformation of Hanoi into a western-style modern city in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The materials used in this book, published by the Hanoi Publishing House and the Nha Nam Publishing and Communications JSC, could help authorities institutionalise State regulations to create a legal corridor for proper urban development management, and also assist with the research and popularisation of the city’s culture.
The Job Prize was presented to US saxophonist Kenny G’s music video “Going Home”, produced by the Nhan Dan (People) newspaper and IB Group Vietnam. In this MV, the artist performed “Going Home” at famous places of Hanoi, including Hoan Kiem Lake, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature, and Long Bien Bridge.
Meanwhile, the Idea Prize was won by an idea to renovate the landscape around Thien Quang Lake and its vicinity which was studied and developed by the People’s Committee of Hai Ba Trung District in 2023.
Honouring big loves for Hanoi
Addressing the event, General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Vu Viet Trang hailed the efforts and creativity by the VNA’s The Thao Va Van Hoa (Sports and Culture) Newspaper along with partners in popularising the awards to honour the capital.
She stressed that the 17th edition of the awards, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Hanoi Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 – 2024), continues to praise the works, authors, ideas, and efforts in building and preserving the values of the capital city of time-tested culture.
The awards now have gone beyond all boundaries of time, space, and nations to bring the image of Hanoi closer to friends across the five continents, she said.
According to Trang, looking at this year’s nomination list, it is evident that love for Hanoi is not confined to any specific field. This love can stem from decades-long efforts of a researcher seeking a portrait of Hanoi in the past through archival documents, both in Vietnam and France. It is also the love of an American writer and political activist who visited Hanoi over half a century ago, during a time of fierce war, to help the world understand more about Vietnam through incredibly authentic notes.
The “Bui Xuan Phai: For the Love of Hanoi” Awards increasingly has a broad social impact. Love for Hanoi is not only encapsulated in nominations and awards given but has also manifested in specific and meaningful actions for the capital.”
The awards were launched in 2008 by the newspaper and family of late artist Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988), a founder of Vietnam’s modern art. It aims to honour the contributions of individuals and organisations to the capital city.
The judging panel for the awards included esteemed figures such as poet Bang Viet, former chairman of the Hanoi Literature and Arts Association; historian Duong Trung Quoc, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences; journalist Ho Quang Loi, Vice President of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDT); journalist Ngo Ha Thai, former Deputy General Director of the Vietnam News Agency; and journalist Le Xuan Thanh, Editor-in-Chief of the The thao & Van hoa newspaper; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly’s Culture and Education Committee.
Son praised the efforts of The Thao & Van Hoa Newspaper for organising the awards, saying that this initiative fosters public interest and love for the capital city.
He said he really likes the way the outstanding works, ideas and individuals are selected to be honoured, expressing his belief that this recognition not only strengthens love for Hanoi but also enhances its status as a cultural and political centre and a source of national pride.
“Events like the awards will inspire us to transform love for Hanoi into concrete action, and specific products, thereby making Hanoi more beautiful and livable in the future,” he said.
Results of the 17th “Bui Xuan Phai: For the Love of Hanoi” Awards – 2024
1. Grand Prize: Prof. Dr. architect Hoang Dao Kinh, “the knight of architectural monuments.”
2. Work Prize: the book entitled “Ha Noi thoi can dai – Tu nhuong dia den thanh pho (1873 – 1945)” (Hanoi in Modern Times – from Conceded Territory to City) by Dao Thi Dien.
3. Job Prize: US saxophonist Kenny G’s music video “Going Home”, produced by the Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper and IB Group Vietnam
4. Idea Prize: “Project to renovate the landscape around Thien Quang Lake and its vicinity” studied and developed by the People’s Committee of Hai Ba Trung district in 2023.
