jHaving graduated from the famous Moscow Architecture University, many say Dang Viet Nga is “mad” because of her extraordinary ideas; and particularly because of her most known work “crazy house”.
Nga is a doctor and architect as well as the owner of the “Crazy House”, a unique abode which has stirred controversy over the past 20 years.
Crazy House is located in an area of nearly 1,600sq.m, at No. 3 Huynh Thuc Khang road, Ward 4, Da Lat City in the central highlands province of Lam Dong. It goes by other names like Hang Nga’s villa, Strange House and Cobweb House.
Its controversy and special attention from visitors over the past 18 years stems from it not belonging to any specific school of architecture.
The house opened in 1990 and it is now a well known tourist destination in Da Lat. The house has few right angles with unexpected twists and turns at every corner. The misshapen windows make it look like something out of a fairy tale, as friendly stone animals—a bear, giraffe and spider—linger around the premises. Small ponds and mushroom statues also adorn the outside of the house.
The outside of the building looks like a tree with trunks and branches built to look like they are growing along the walls, making it more of a house-tree than a tree-house. This is not something that most tourists, either foreign or domestic, expect to find in Vietnam.
The roots of Crazy House
Nga left Hanoi for Da Lat in 1983. Loving nature and freedom, her architectural style reveals an unconstrained mind, not restricted by contemporary popular thought.
Da Lat’s romanticism and wildness inspired Nga’s unique ideas. “Architecture must be close to nature. Humans must live among the voices of birds and beasts, and only then will they feel the closeness and they will need each other more,” she said.
Every building Nga has designed has its own meaning. The Da Lat Children’s Palace was inspired by a forest of bamboo shoots, the Trade Union guest house was inspired by Central Highlands houses on stilts and French ancient architecture. Nga also designed Lien Khuong Church and the new office of the Ministry of Culture and Information, which also have unique characteristics.
However, each of these has been partly changed, differing from Nga’s original design. “Unique, creative ideas are said to be complicated,” Nga explained. That’s why she did one work for herself, which completely follows her design - the Crazy House.
Nga said she didn’t plan to build Crazy House, but Da Lat’s wildness inspired and urged her to realize the idea. She wants to bring humans back to nature and undo the damage man has done.
She wanted to make her house a jungle, with flowers, trees, birds and beasts. The construction of Crazy House began in February 1990.
The house has become famous and subject to controversy for 18 years. Many people criticized it, including Nga’s colleagues, but she says: “I don’t blame those who don’t understand me”.
She said the house would not be unique if she built it following any sort of taught or usual style. “I wanted to make something that nobody in the world has thought of, that doesn’t mean I’m peculiar,” Nga said.
Extraordinary aspiration
Crazy House was built when Nga didn’t have any assets. She went to several banks to borrow funds. When her debts reached VND30 million at an interest rate of 10%, a huge number at that time, nobody could help her. Nga faced the risk of going to jail if she couldn’t pay back her debt.
Because of the uniqueness of Crazy House, Nga’s friends suggested she open it to visitors. In late 1990, Nga began to sell tickets to visitors, VND200/ticket (now it is VND10,000). She gradually escaped from debt with the assistance of her family and some friends.
Crazy House is now a guest house with ten rooms. She named each room after animals, like Tiger room, Bear room, Kangaroo room, etc. The room rates are quite hight, VND290,000-VND630,000/room/night for Vietnamese and $29-63/night for foreigners.
The house is now one of the premiere tourist destinations in Da Lat City, which is highly appreciated by visitors for its strangeness.
When entering the house, one feels like they are in a maze. Asking her about the word “mad” and “crazy” that people have given to Nga and her house, she said: “When they don’t understand me, they can call me mad. After seeing my house, some visitors uttered “Crazy woman! Crazy architecture!” but that has done a lot to make it a popular and talked about destination”.
Crazy and not crazy
Nga is not mad, rather, elegant and luxurious like a Western Lady from the 18th century with clear and honest eyes. She is the daughter of former Party Secretary Truong Chinh. Recently, local authorities recognized the house as an art piece. Nga waited 18 years for local authorities’ to recognize her house.
Her life is now very busy from early morning to midnight; many visitors and friends visit the house to learn more about the special work.
Nga said she is still in debt because she has invested VND12 billion into the house. She plans to invest VND6 billion more from now to 2010. After, if she has enough money, she will inject another VND20 billion into expanding Crazy House into the adjacent property, which she recently purchased.
(Source: NLD, SGGP)
ed note: I will stay here on my next visit. We have alot in common, architecture, house, Mad & Crazy to name a few. Perfect match don't you think?
Nga is a doctor and architect as well as the owner of the “Crazy House”, a unique abode which has stirred controversy over the past 20 years.
Crazy House is located in an area of nearly 1,600sq.m, at No. 3 Huynh Thuc Khang road, Ward 4, Da Lat City in the central highlands province of Lam Dong. It goes by other names like Hang Nga’s villa, Strange House and Cobweb House.
Its controversy and special attention from visitors over the past 18 years stems from it not belonging to any specific school of architecture.
The house opened in 1990 and it is now a well known tourist destination in Da Lat. The house has few right angles with unexpected twists and turns at every corner. The misshapen windows make it look like something out of a fairy tale, as friendly stone animals—a bear, giraffe and spider—linger around the premises. Small ponds and mushroom statues also adorn the outside of the house.
The outside of the building looks like a tree with trunks and branches built to look like they are growing along the walls, making it more of a house-tree than a tree-house. This is not something that most tourists, either foreign or domestic, expect to find in Vietnam.
The roots of Crazy House
Nga left Hanoi for Da Lat in 1983. Loving nature and freedom, her architectural style reveals an unconstrained mind, not restricted by contemporary popular thought.
Da Lat’s romanticism and wildness inspired Nga’s unique ideas. “Architecture must be close to nature. Humans must live among the voices of birds and beasts, and only then will they feel the closeness and they will need each other more,” she said.
Every building Nga has designed has its own meaning. The Da Lat Children’s Palace was inspired by a forest of bamboo shoots, the Trade Union guest house was inspired by Central Highlands houses on stilts and French ancient architecture. Nga also designed Lien Khuong Church and the new office of the Ministry of Culture and Information, which also have unique characteristics.
However, each of these has been partly changed, differing from Nga’s original design. “Unique, creative ideas are said to be complicated,” Nga explained. That’s why she did one work for herself, which completely follows her design - the Crazy House.
Nga said she didn’t plan to build Crazy House, but Da Lat’s wildness inspired and urged her to realize the idea. She wants to bring humans back to nature and undo the damage man has done.
She wanted to make her house a jungle, with flowers, trees, birds and beasts. The construction of Crazy House began in February 1990.
The house has become famous and subject to controversy for 18 years. Many people criticized it, including Nga’s colleagues, but she says: “I don’t blame those who don’t understand me”.
She said the house would not be unique if she built it following any sort of taught or usual style. “I wanted to make something that nobody in the world has thought of, that doesn’t mean I’m peculiar,” Nga said.
Extraordinary aspiration
Crazy House was built when Nga didn’t have any assets. She went to several banks to borrow funds. When her debts reached VND30 million at an interest rate of 10%, a huge number at that time, nobody could help her. Nga faced the risk of going to jail if she couldn’t pay back her debt.
Because of the uniqueness of Crazy House, Nga’s friends suggested she open it to visitors. In late 1990, Nga began to sell tickets to visitors, VND200/ticket (now it is VND10,000). She gradually escaped from debt with the assistance of her family and some friends.
Crazy House is now a guest house with ten rooms. She named each room after animals, like Tiger room, Bear room, Kangaroo room, etc. The room rates are quite hight, VND290,000-VND630,000/room/night for Vietnamese and $29-63/night for foreigners.
The house is now one of the premiere tourist destinations in Da Lat City, which is highly appreciated by visitors for its strangeness.
When entering the house, one feels like they are in a maze. Asking her about the word “mad” and “crazy” that people have given to Nga and her house, she said: “When they don’t understand me, they can call me mad. After seeing my house, some visitors uttered “Crazy woman! Crazy architecture!” but that has done a lot to make it a popular and talked about destination”.
Crazy and not crazy
Nga is not mad, rather, elegant and luxurious like a Western Lady from the 18th century with clear and honest eyes. She is the daughter of former Party Secretary Truong Chinh. Recently, local authorities recognized the house as an art piece. Nga waited 18 years for local authorities’ to recognize her house.
Her life is now very busy from early morning to midnight; many visitors and friends visit the house to learn more about the special work.
Nga said she is still in debt because she has invested VND12 billion into the house. She plans to invest VND6 billion more from now to 2010. After, if she has enough money, she will inject another VND20 billion into expanding Crazy House into the adjacent property, which she recently purchased.
(Source: NLD, SGGP)
ed note: I will stay here on my next visit. We have alot in common, architecture, house, Mad & Crazy to name a few. Perfect match don't you think?
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