Hanoi's old French villa gets new look

One side of the building is at 49 Tran Hung Dao Street and the other at 46 Hang Bai Street, Hoan Kiem District. It was built on an area of nearly 1,000 square meters, with the villa taking up 400.

The renovation started in April 2022 with a budget of VND14 billion ($596,000). Over a year, the villa received a new look, being painted in bright yellow and red.

However, the new look has sparked arguments over the colors not fitting the building’s aesthetics. Emmanuel Cerise, director of Paris Region Expertise in Hanoi, said that the process of renovating had not been completed and the current color was not the final version, so many of the critiques were not relevant.

Cerise said that French experts and design consultants had carefully studied documents and archaeological profiles before considering the colors, materials and details of the renovation.

The villa has many exposed rusty iron bars.

The spiral stairs have 25 steps and are covered with tarpaulin to avoid scratches and damage during the renovation.

The second floor has two large rooms, two small rooms and two fireplaces.

Currently, the makeover is not complete as it’s awaiting interior design plans from France.

Artifacts related to the renovation are displayed on the premises.

All items are being repaired.

Hoan Kiem District People's Committee said that the villa was part of a project to preserve old villas and enhance the cultural, historical and architectural heritage of Hanoi's old streets. Through this project, basic techniques in preserving and restoring a number of French architectural works will be introduced, raising public awareness of heritage conservation.

The expected look of the building after the renovation. The project is set to be completed by the end of 2023, with the building serving as Hanoi’s French cultural exchange center.