Hang Dau water tower or Hang Dau boot was built by the French in 1894, in front of Long Bien Bridge, located at the intersection of Hang Than, Hang Luoc, Hang Giay, Hang Dau, Quan Thanh and Phan Dinh Phung streets. Hang Dau booth and the entire clean water supply system are the "first civilized" project, changing the urban face of Hanoi.
On the opening day, visitors will be able to admire the art space inspired by the concept of Asia created by a design team consisting of architect Cao The Anh, painter Nguyen Duc Phuong and his associates, through two installation systems.
The sound installation system reproduces the sound of water in nature and the lighting installation system visually expands the image of artifacts recycled from municipal waste. The jars placed in the compartments play an important role in creating a vivid sound system. When visiting, visitors will experience the sounds of natural water from the beginning, including sea water, river water, spring water, underground water, and rainwater.
These jars date back to the 19th century - on par with Hang Dau boots. In ancient times, the people of the North used these jars to catch rainwater. At the same time, the jars also have good sound amplification, which is in line with the idea of the sound system of the artist group. Each jar in the waterfall will create a sound of water. To do this, the creative team will use a system that pumps water down the jars. By adjusting the frequency of the water and the speed at which the water droplets fall, they will bring a vivid sound performance to visitors.
These variegated works of art are part of a light installation. They are made from recycled nylon - which is seriously affecting the water environment. Through these works, the creative team wishes to bring to the public a reality about the problem of urban water resources. These works do not have specific shapes, they are made based on circles - one of the three basic shapes of geometry, in addition to squares and triangles. Each viewer has a different association when they see them. Some people think of lotus leaves, others may think of water droplets.
The circular cylindrical tower is about 25 m high with a pointed roof, with a capacity of 1,250 m3. The tower receives water from the Yen Phu water plant. The water is brought to the storage tank on the top floor to create potential energy to be fed into the pipeline system to the city center.
The project is made of stone and reinforced cement. The stone to make Hang Dau boots was taken from the stone itself that destroyed the Hanoi citadel in 1894.
The art installation at Hang Dau water tower is one of the activities within the framework of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2023 (from November 17 to December 31) hosted by the Hanoi City People's Committee and the Vietnam Association of Architects. In addition to this location, the group of architects and painters also introduced art spaces at historical works and relics such as Gia Lam railway factory, Hanoi station, Long Bien station, Long Bien bridge during the festival.
According to VnE
Photo: Dan Tri, VnE