Unique art installation space inside former Indochina University building in Hanoi

The Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2024 is taking place until November 17, featuring over 100 activities specifically designed to engage the local community and highlight arts for the public.

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This marks the first time that Hanoi National University, formerly known as Indochina University and now part of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, opens to the public as part of activities within the framework of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2024.

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The university has been crowded over recent days with the majority of visitors being young people.

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The highlight of the event is the interactive art exhibition titled Cảm Thức Đông Dương (Indochina Sense), which features a total of 22 light installations.

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To support the display, Hanoi National University has been transformed into a vibrant artistic space.

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The building boasts stunning French colonial architecture which is reflective of its historical significance.

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The main building of the University was completed in 1924 by French architect Ernest Hébrard.

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Over the past 100 years, the structure retains its classic appearance, including a main hall with stone flooring and a high vaulted ceiling.

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For many tourists, this is a rare opportunity to explore French architectural works and get new, unique experience in the capital city.

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The building's design features many decorative motifs of the Indochina architecture whilst blending European influences which are suited to the tropical, monsoon climate.

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Established in early 1926, the Biological Museum, the first of its kind in Vietnam and Indochina, is on the second floor of the university.

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On display are hundreds of thousands of animal and plant specimens collected since the late 19th century.

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Among them are many samples donated by foreign heads of state, scientists, and museums.

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Visitors also encounter various artworks.

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In the main hall, a harmonious blend of light, interaction, and reflections serve to illuminate purposefully arranged sculptures and paintings.

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A large oil painting inside Hanoi National University was created by French painter Victor Tardieu between 1921 and 1927. The 77-square-metre painting in the style of Western mural art depicts an entirely Vietnamese scene.

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In November, 2013, the administration of Hanoi recognised the site as an architectural landmark constructed during colonial era, marking it for preservation and cultural enhancement.