Meeting Architect Tran Canh at Artistay, I was sitting there, enjoying him finishing some classic pieces on guitar. We started our friendly chat with the story of his 10-year journey practising architecture with Adrei Studio.
It’s been 10 years since you founded Andrei Studio, what is your definition of designing a building?
Architecture differentiates itself from other arts, it requires a certain topic to develop. By interacting with clients, the architect is the one finding solutions for the topic. There’ll be togetherness, conflict, argument and debate in this relationship. It’d be easy if I design a construction literally for my own, but it would be a missing piece. What I’m talking about is purely about work.
The fact is that in Vietnam, there are few interesting constructions that were independently built without being affected by any clients. To me, this is how architects maintain the work-life-art balance and I wish to see more of this balance.
Architect Tran Canh (right) at Uu Dam vegetarian restaurant (Hanoi), designed by Andrei Studio.
Photo
Andrei Studio
Interviewer
Hoang Huong Tra
Time
Feb 2021
To you, what is the border between art and architecture?
I have more than 1 friend telling me architecture is the technique. I presume that it is what people think that it is. It depends on the architect’s opinion about architecture, it can be art or technique. From my view, the nature of architecture is both about technique and art. In Vietnamese, architecture is KIẾN TRÚC, the word ‘KIẾN’ is in ‘KIẾN TẠO” (BUILD/CREATE) or ‘SÁNG KIẾN’ (IDEA); it requires architects to proactively explore, create and apply utilise ultimate knowledge. To me, this is art. If all that we do is about technique, we are no more than engineers.
Architect Le Corbusier’s standpoint is also very interesting: “Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light”.
Speaking of shapes and light, I am very interested in the placements of windows in your constructions. The window is like the connection in between spaces, especially the enclosed indoor space and open space outdoor, architectural space and natural space, trees and light. What are their roles in the overall project to you?
People say the eyes are windows of the soul, don’t they? (smile graciously)
I like to say the window is the soul of the house. Although I could pre-calculate on the drawings with highly accurate software tools, I often design and adjust windows directly at the construction site. I do draw and imagine the location before that based on the overall building, however, the form and scale of it will be done based on reality.
I have known that you have utilised many kinds of material in all your projects since 2009. Do you have any particular interest with a certain material?
Today has bricks, I play with bricks, tomorrow has lime, I play with lime. Each time like that makes me think more, not depending on experience or ‘convenience’. I like playing with materials and creating fun things.
I have known that you have utilised many kinds of material in all your projects since 2009. Do you have any particular interest with a certain material?
Today has bricks, I play with bricks, tomorrow has lime, I play with lime. Each time like that makes me think more, not depending on experience or ‘convenience’. I like playing with materials and creating fun things.
I honestly see some humour in you and also your scheme aside from all the planning. How could you free architecture?
I came to architecture as my fourth pick and architecture will be with me for life. I usually tell friends that: If I could be younger right now, I would be a football player, playing in the 4th or 5th division. (chuckling)
KN House’s constructors, in that time, Architect Tran Canh had his leg casted, playing music at a street vendor near the construction site. Photo: Tran Canh
I am passionate about football, I play guitar, I love drawing, and I dream of being a painter. We have dreams when we are young. After years chasing those dreams, I feel grateful because the journeys of learning drawing and playing music have answered me questions that, without them,I would have paid a high price in architecture. When I started learning, I found myself swimming in a sea of information, too many idols and everyone wants to have some people to learn from, then comes drawings and guitar things, they all share some same things. Architecture students also, it’s hard for them to separate from big ‘shadows’. I rarely read architecture books, mostly getting to know about the anecdotes of architects. I find their lives inspire me the most. Then I draw, a lot, relax myself and think scrumptiously about things I want to draw. Thoughts of synchrony will meet, even without knowing about others’ existence and probably they are a hemisphere of the planet apart.
Photo: Andrei Studio
The only way to free architecture thought is to stay conscious with unnecessary information, keep your head clean and clear. That’s it.
Is there any project that makes you think for 2-3 years?
Not yet for now, I really want to, though. Maybe my house in the future. (Talking and smiling)
Photo: Trieu Chien
What kind of space do you want to live in, both geographically and about its design?
Our desires for today and tomorrow are different. I used to think like others, I like a quiet place, outside of the city or on the mountain, rural area something. In 2010, I travelled along Truong Son mountains with friends. They say: “Truong Son, sunny in the East, rainy in the West/ Without being there it is like not knowing yourself” (Trường Sơn, đông nắng, tây mưa / Ai chưa đến đó như chưa rõ mình). Before we started the journey, I read this quote and wondered about the practicality of it. But when I got there, it’s exactly like the quote, the sublime landscape of mountains and rivers. The one who wrote this quote must be amazing!
Then I thought: Does it have any meaning if I have a construction here, the creating-such-thing in a place has such overwhelmingly amazing scenery? My answer is that there is no meaning at all. Human beings are so small. If I still kept that thought of moving to a sub-city area, perhaps just building a tent with few bamboo sticks would be enough, no need to design. I must be very old then!
So I just chose Hanoi. “Who care one goes where, I would just be here in the capital”
(“Dù ai đi mô về mô, còn choa vẫn cứ thủ đô choa ngồi”.)
Photo: Trieu Chien.
The importance is our manner to the house, right? I like a house that can bring people from this emotion to another, there are surprises, some little kicks, but absolutely not the things about functional spaces, furniture or colours. I might set some traps for fun (chuckling).
Thank you for this interesting conversation!
