While waiting for a new project worth more than 2,200 billion VND under construction to be completed, the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House has temporarily moved to No. 21 Pham Ngoc Thach, Xuan Hoa ward. With a campus of more than 5,000m2, this project impresses strongly with its classic French architecture.
Few people know that this ancient villa is nearly a century old, witnessing many ups and downs of the city over decades. Having been leased many times by educational units and international organizations as headquarters, the project still retains its original ancient shape.
From a space associated with the memories of many generations of students to becoming a modern kindergarten, the building always carries a unique vitality. After a period of vacantity, the appearance of the Youth Cultural House when moving here is like a new breath of life, officially "awakening" the beauty of graceful round towers, high arched doors and steep tiled roofs typical of Europe.
Sharing about this new residence, a representative of Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House said: "When moving to make way for a new construction project, our biggest concern was to find a location near the old headquarters to maintain connection with youth. Fortunately, the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee approved the handover of land at 21 Pham Ngoc Thach. This is a project with a very good architectural foundation, once rented as an international school, so it is extremely ideal for developing skills and art training areas".
Although the floor area used here is only about 1,500m2, narrower than the old facility, the unit has optimized it into 21 functional rooms. The goal is to create an open, inspiring space and maintain a continuous living flow for clubs and teams from the early days of taking over the premises.
This unique "castle" architecture immediately created a "check-in" craze. Nguyen Hoang Phuong Nghi (resident of Nha Be commune) shared that she was very surprised to see the cultural house moved to a space imbued with heritage, feeling like she was lost in an ancient European street corner.
Not only young people, but also residents who have lived in this area for many years have expressed their agreement when seeing the ancient villa being used for community purposes. Mr. Tran Minh (65 years old), a local resident, was moved to see the ancient house that was originally closed and silent now bustling with the sound of music and singing, and the laughter of teenagers. The intersection between heritage and youthfulness has turned No. 21 Pham Ngoc Thach into a vibrant cultural destination.
