(VNF) - Painter Nguyen Thu Thuy, responsible for the Ceramic Road along the Red River dyke in Hanoi has been assigned to renovate the Mirror House in Thong Nhat (Reunification) Park.

The Mirror House in Thong Nhat Park is a place closely related to the childhood memories of most 7x and 8x generations in Hanoi. Now, the place was so degraded that it almost did not leave any impression on the 9x generation. The Mirror House also known as the Smiley House was built by the Czechoslovak Government in Hanoi in 1979.

Painter Nguyen Thu Thuy works at the Mirror House. (Photo provided by painter Nguyen Thu Thuy)

The labyrinth of mirrors leads to a round room with eight deformed mirrors makes people laugh when they see their own reflections become tall with long legs or short, stubby with a terrible waistline,...Now, the Mirror House is seriously degraded: dull mirror, peeling and moldy walls, leaking roof, etc,. In recent year, no parents would take their children to visit the Mirror House anymore.

Painter Nguyen Thu Thuy, the prestigious Bui Xuan Phai award in 2008, and New Hanoi (Tan Hanoi) arts company have been assigned to implement the idea of ​​renovating the Mirror House into a special ceramic art space.

Thuy was very excited and enthusiastically proposed creative ideas to redecorate the Mirror House using ceramic material.

According to her, the architect of Czechoslovakia designed the house was inspired by a giant shell: the entrance was the mouth and the round spiral building with the maze leading into the innermost of the house is its shell. After saw the architectural drawing of the mirror house, Thuy decided to bring the life aquatic into architecture.

“The shell-like wall with only two large windows and three openings for light and air, is ideal for pottery decorations. I have formed the idea of ​​decorating the Mirror House under the theme of ocean to inspire love for the sea and island for children,” she wrote in her Facebook post.

“Ha Long Bay to Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago are two ideas I have for the exterior of the Mirror House inspired from all the love and memories attached to ​​Ha Long Bay - the natural heritage of the world to my five working trips to Truong Sa archipelago.”

Painter Nguyen Thu Thuy works at the Mirror House. (Photo provided by painter Nguyen Thu Thuy)

Thuy said that she and her team had to work until midnight in three months to complete the project on time to be featured at the opening ceremony on October 20^th.

The artist also shared that she was very happy and felt the joy of creativity and dedication to the public after their hard work was praised by neighbour residents, passersby and kids who frequent this urban park.

There are three main artists involved in the project design including Nguyen Thu Thuy, Nguyen Hoang Tung and Bui Viet Doan. The group of artisans of Tan Hanoi arts company are young art lovers who have attached themselves to the company since early day.

Painter Nguyen Thu Thuy stands in front of the almost-completed Mirror House. (Photo provided by painter Nguyen Thu Thuy)

Thong Nhat park was built in 1958 and inaugurated in 1960. Besides its main function to satisfy Hanoi people’s demand for entertainment, the park covers a will to unify Vietnam at that time, as its name means “reunification”.

The park is also well-known as another name: Lenin Park as a good will of Vietnam to commemorate Lenin on his 110^th birthday.

In April 1980, on the 110^th anniversary of Lenin’s birthday, Thong Nhat Park was renamed Lenin Park. Nowadays, Lenin Park is situated on Dien Bien Phu Street. Thong Nhat Park has its original name./.

Translated by Phuong Nguyen