Lessons from ancient houses in Dong Hoa Hiep village – sustainable architecture in the face of climate change

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly having a significant and evident impact on the Mekong Delta, in Vietnam, negatively affecting various aspects of daily life, culture, and society for the local communities. In particular, housing is a type of architectural structure that is directly influenced by extreme weather phenomena. These impacts include (i) heat causing thermal discomfort; (ii) heavy rains, flooding, and erosion leading to landslides and the collapse of riverside structures; and (iii) droughts causing saltwater intrusion, freshwater shortages affecting the house-garden ecosystem. In this context, the ancient houses in the Dong Hoa Hiep ancient village, located in Cai Be District, Tien Giang Province, which have been recognized for their cultural and artistic heritage values, have demonstrated their ability to adapt to climate change in the current era through architectural solutions developed by previous generations over hundreds of years. This study aims to synthesize and analyze the climate-adaptive design solutions found in the ancient houses of Dong Hoa Hiep village, thereby drawing lessons on climate-adaptive architecture for housing in the Mekong Delta region.