Ta Phin Community House

The multipurpose community house stands in a mountain village 17 kilometres from a popular hill town. It was built to support the local economy and tourism while preserving natural resources, cultural diversity and traditional crafts, with training in farming, tourism and project management.

Alongside an herb garden, it holds a workspace, a room to show local handicrafts, a small library, a communication centre and a training studio, all shaped with input from villagers, authorities and community groups. It sits at the centre of the commune beside the primary school and the rice mill.

The Vietnamese design team drew its form from the red scarves worn by women of the local ethnic minority and from the mountain landscape. It uses local labour and materials, stone, recycled timber and adobe, with rainwater filtering, solar power, efficient septic tanks and fireplaces whose heat is reused.