VietNamNet Bridge – An overseas Vietnamese artist’s vision for a cultural city of the future may be one step closer to fruition as many local architects praised it as a bold and creative vision that reflects his whole-hearted love of his home nation.

Stemming from his ambition to embark on a vast project to honor the source of the nation and symbolise Vietnam’s unique culture, Tran Van Liem, a French painter of Vietnamese origin, has spent 20 years developing the plans for Van Lang City. After living abroad for more than 30 years, the artist returned to Vietnam at the end of 2008 to deliver a lecture on the project.

The basis of Van Lang City’s design is rooted in Oriental philosophy, contained by a circle measuring 1,800m in diameter. The city would be capable of accommodating about 1 million residents and would possess eight, spoke-like boulevards leading from the rim of the circle to a central plaza.

Two of the city’s major landmarks are the “Thien tu thap” and “Hoang tu thap” towers, dedicated to Lac Long Quan and Au Co – the legendary ancestor of the Vietnamese nation. The tower dedicated to Lac Long Quan, distinguished by its square foundations, symbolises Yang-Heaven, whilst the tower dedicated to Au Co with circular foundations would represent Yin-Earth.

The central square could be used as a modern stage for performances depicting the Lac Long Quan and Au Co legends, as well as concerts featuring historic Dong Son drums.

The Van Lang City project is the result of 20 years of painstaking research into Vietnam’s architecture, philosophy and history by Liem, who has been supported throughout by his wife, who is French.

Following his lecture before the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs and the Vietnamese Architectural Association, Liem plans to open an exhibition by 2010, complete with scale models to mark the millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Architect Hoang Dao Kinh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Architectural Association, said the project is a good idea, as it cleverly harmonises both oriental and occidental perspectives.

Artist Liem, born in Binh Duong Province in 1949, has lived in France since 1975. He has won many French art prizes and is also the creator of the five-dimensional school of painting.

Liem plans to return to his home country some time in the future to establish a five-dimensional museum, participate in professional exchange activities and share his experiences with younger painters to further the development of the Vietnamese art world.

VietNamNet/VNA