Project 'Con Ốc Nhỏ' Archives Southern Vietnam's Diverse Architectural Facades

Based in Ho Chi Minh City, artist Bờm Sketcher, also known as Lâm Bờm, has launched a new side project, 'Con Ốc Nhỏ,' dedicated to archiving the rich architectural heritage of Southern Vietnam. The project, a play on the Vietnamese word 'ốc' meaning 'snail' or 'house,' reflects the artist's intention to take his time and meticulously document houses that capture his fascination. Sketcher's travels, particularly across the Mekong Delta, have exposed him to a diverse array of architectural styles, often a blend of Vietnamese, Chinese, French, and Khmer influences. Many of these old houses are at risk of demolition, inspiring him to create a record of this disappearing architecture. The result is a collection of dozens of stylized illustrations, presented in a neat, almost encyclopedic layout, showcasing the facades of Vietnamese homes. Each illustration is accompanied by information about the house's hometown, building materials, and distinctive decorative elements like balustrades and wrought-iron windows. While the project does not focus on a single architectural style, the Instagram page for 'Con Ốc Nhỏ' features a wide range of houses that pique the artist's curiosity. Recurring themes for those familiar with Vietnamese vernacular architecture include Chinese-influenced colonial shophouses, utilitarian tube houses, and the grey washed rock mosaic characteristic of Southern modernism. This stylistic amalgamation mirrors the cultural diversity of the Mekong Delta, the primary region featured, and was a key draw for Sketcher. The collection spans numerous localities within the delta, such as Cái Bè, featuring a bright yellow colonial shophouse with striking resemblances to those in Saigon's Hải Thượng Lãn Ông quarter, and the Huỳnh Thủy Lê villa in Sa Đéc, made famous by the French film 'L'amant.' Through this project, Sketcher has gained a deeper understanding of the unique architectural quirks and preferences of each locality. For instance, balconies in Sa Đéc are often adorned with brise-soleil, while in Mỹ Tho, cement and geometric shapes are more prevalent. Similarly, window designs vary, with Châu Đốc featuring semi-circular arches and Mỹ Tho homeowners favoring rows of square windows. 'Con Ốc Nhỏ' offers more than just documentation; it provides an opportunity to closely observe the distinctive regional flair embedded in the architectural details, reflecting the personality of each place. It also reveals the flow of time across different aesthetics and the construction methods employed in each era. For more works from Con Ốc Nhỏ, follow the project’s Instagram page.