A surreal treehouse complex in Hanoi

On the outskirts of Hanoi, artist Dao Anh Khanh created a treehouse complex enveloped in greenery, resembling a miniature forest.

According to Dan Tri, this unique complex was built over 20 years ago on a 2,000 square meter plot, consisting of five main areas: five treehouses, one aquarium house, three garden houses, and one stilt house.

“While impressive treehouses exist globally, Vietnam had none at the time. I wanted to offer people a different experience - to immerse themselves in nature, to enjoy a new, more open, beautiful, and fresh living space,” said Dao Anh Khanh of his vision.

He explained that the project is a harmonious artistic installation combining architecture, sculpture, lighting, and sound, all integrated with nature.

The antique-studded house in Vinh Phuc

In Chan Hung Commune, Vinh Tuong District, Vinh Phuc Province, stands a one-of-a-kind house adorned with thousands of ancient ceramic plates, drawing visitors from far and wide.

This house was hand-designed and assembled by the late Nguyen Van Truong.

With a deep love for traditional cultural heritage, Truong began collecting and salvaging hundreds of ancient ceramics from across the country in the 1990s, aiming to “preserve the village’s culture.”

To share his passion and allow villagers to explore history and nostalgia, Truong displayed all his collected antiques on the gate, fences, house walls, and rockeries. The arrangement was both methodical and occasionally spontaneous.

Ho Thi Nga, Truong’s wife, told VietNamNet that despite the high value of these antiques, her husband refused to sell them. Even when someone offered USD 800,000, she declined, choosing instead to preserve her husband’s lifelong devotion for future generations.

A 420-ton house that rotates 360 degrees in Bac Giang

Nguyen Van Luong (born 1957) from Bac Giang spent years self-studying to build a house capable of rotating 360 degrees.

Starting construction in 2012, Luong completed his house within four years. The three-story house covers over 100 square meters and can rotate fully. A basement underneath contains 50 cubic meters of water.

Luong explained that the house operates similarly to a boat floating in water. Surrounding it is a 14-meter diameter, 4-meter deep circular water tank, with a smaller 12-meter tank inside.

The inner tank acts like a buoy; as the outer tank is filled, the buoy lifts. A rotating shaft and propeller help the house to move.

Thanks to water buoyancy, the house requires minimal energy to rotate. Initially powered by a 12V battery, it now uses a 220V electrical connection for convenience.

Luong estimates the house weighs around 420 tons. Its rotation speed varies from completing a full turn in 10 minutes to 24 hours.

In 2022, his project received an exclusive patent for the rotating house-in-water design from the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office.

An upside-down house in Sa Dec flower village

To promote tourism leveraging Sa Dec flower village’s strengths (Dong Thap Province), Tran Thanh Nguyen from Tan Khanh Dong Commune, Sa Dec City, decided to build a unique upside-down house, attracting streams of tourists.

Built in 2019 at a cost of nearly USD 31,500, the house spans 70 square meters and can host more than 50 visitors.

Inside, there are five rooms, each offering distinct photo opportunities, including a living room, dining room, bedroom, coffee room, and mini shop.

Each room is decorated with traditional furnishings, all affixed upside down to enhance the surreal effect.

The eccentric 'Crazy House' in Da Lat

Hang Nga Villa, commonly known as the "Crazy House," is a famous landmark in Da Lat for its unconventional and fantastical architecture.

Located on Huynh Thuc Khang Street in Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province, the Crazy House covers nearly 1,600 square meters.

The owner, Dang Viet Nga, who holds a PhD in architecture from Moscow, envisioned a structure that would reconnect people with nature and raise environmental awareness.

The villa complex features multiple buildings, guesthouses, a café, and an art gallery.

Since its construction began in 1990, the Crazy House has consistently fascinated visitors, especially international tourists.

The 'cave house' in Hung Yen

Situated along National Highway 39A in Ngu Lao Commune, Kim Dong District, Hung Yen Province, the four-story house of Tran Van Tuong (born 1985) stands out for its strange, almost mysterious design.

According to Dan Viet, construction began in 2011 and took three years. Although the basic structure follows the traditional tube house format common in Vietnam, the decorative style is radically different. The balcony and roof curve dramatically, resembling temple eaves.

In front of the house stand dozens of statues, including large representations of Guan Yin, King Hung, dragons, the god Kim Nguu, carp, and tigers. Tuong even sculpted a portrait of himself at the entrance.

Beyond typical construction materials like brick, sand, stone, and steel, Tuong invested heavily in bronze, ceramics, and gemstones to create vivid wall murals.

Han Nguyen