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Arts & Culture
In a slightly tired traditional tenement block in District 1 is Huong Nguyen’s latest renovation project, a studio apartment overlooking Nguyen Du. Shaded by an old tamarind tree, the building was originally meant to house French civil servants, and later served as a hotel patronized by Americans during the war.
Arts & Culture
Huy Nguyen’s lovingly restored colonial-era bolt-hole, tucked away above a hẻm off Nguyen Hue, is a masterclass in making the best use of small spaces. As the owner of Mountain Retreat restaurant, Nguyen has a little black book of contacts and suppliers that was invaluable throughout the place’s six-week renovation. The result is a living portfolio of his own personal aesthetic, combined with authentic and witty nods to Vietnam’s past. The 30-square-meter space is a concise illustration of Saigon’s aesthetic history.