Sunday, October 31, 2010

A Question for the Vietnamese?


Why don't you paint or render the side of your house? For the typical long, thin and tall Vietnamese houses I often only see the front painted. The sides, which take up a much larger section than the front are concrete. I have seen this throughout the whole of Vietnam. Sometimes a lot of work and I would gather money goes into making the front look good to be contrasted with a big long ugly concrete wall. I just don't understand the logic.


A short walk from my house finds many examples. It is obvious to see so I wonder why the whole house isn't painted. Is it a money thing or an assumption that another house will go up next to it hiding the side?


Does anyone know?

3 comments:

  1. It's most likely because of the assumption that Vietnamese love to play keep up with the Nguyens, and that sooner or later, the neighbors to either sides will put up equally, if not taller tube houses.

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  2. I can assure that it is because other houses appearing will hide the sides. So there's no need to have them painted.

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  3. Thanks for the comments guys. Phuong, this makes sense but the sides are not really hidden. I guess at some point they will be but the ones in my street have been like that at least for the year I have been living here. It seems they might have to wait a while until an ajoining house is built. Cheers

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