Previously, the ancient villa of Doc Phu Vo Ha Thanh (Mr. Phu's house) - a more than 100-year-old building in Quarter 5, Buu Long Ward, Bien Hoa City was at risk of being demolished to build a project to build embankment and road along Dong Nai River.
According to the plan, the construction area of the Dong Nai riverside road and embankment project (total investment of nearly 2,000 billion VND) will encroach on Mr. Phu's mansion by about 9m, equivalent to about half of the villa. The authorities have considered demolishing the villa to get land for the project.
This plan has caused much controversy and concern for those interested in culture and heritage. The presence of this villa for more than a century has been deeply imprinted in the memories of the people of Bien Hoa - Dong Nai.
"Mr. Phu's House" is not only an architectural work, but also a cultural symbol, marking the ups and downs of history, from fighting natural disasters to appearing in famous films such as "The Beauty of Tay Do".
In the context of rapid development of modern cities, infrastructure expansion such as the Dong Nai riverside road project is inevitable. However, is there a way to both develop and preserve cultural heritage for posterity?
In the case of the "Mr. Phu's mansion", many experts have recently spoken out that a more reasonable solution is needed than complete demolition. And one of the proposed solutions is to "straighten" the road to avoid encroachment on the villa.
This is not an unrealistic request, as the riverside route can be completely adjusted to both preserve ancient structures and create a more harmonious landscape.
This option not only preserves the heritage, but also opens up the opportunity to turn the villa into a film studio, cultural and tourist destination as a new symbol, connecting the past and the present.
On the afternoon of September 26, confirming with Lao Dong reporter, Mr. Vien Hong Tien, Chief of Office of Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee said: The Standing Committee of Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee has given opinions on keeping this villa to preserve and promote its cultural, historical and architectural values.
This is good news, showing the careful listening and consideration of the leaders of Dong Nai province. Because for a long time, developing and preserving cultural values has always been a very difficult problem to solve, with difficult choices. And most localities have chosen to trade off preservation to prioritize economic development.
Keeping the "Mr. Phu's mansion" is the right decision, very welcome. It's okay if the Dong Nai riverside road is a little curved after being straightened. But demolishing the "Mr. Phu's mansion" just to make "development" straight is too big a trade-off when losing irreplaceable heritage and cultural values!
