IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

The Mang Thít District in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is facing growing environmental and socio-economic challenges that threaten the survival of its traditional brick-making craft, which is deeply rooted in Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese cultural traditions. Critical issues such as land subsidence, erosion, flooding, saltwater intrusion, and soil salinization have severely impacted the region’s physical landscape, the availability of alluvial clay, and the informal development patterns along the area. These environmental pressures jeopardize the sustainability of the brick industry and the livelihoods of local communities. Compounding the crisis, Directive No. 10/CT-TTg advocates for the adoption of unburnt construction materials, leading to diminished support for traditional baked clay bricks and accelerating the decline of this centuries-old artisanal practice. In response, the Expert Consultancy Group (ECG) launched the “Mang Thít: Contemporary Heritage in the Making” initiative in 2022. This project aims to conserve and revitalize Mang Thít’s historic brick kilns by reimagining them as dynamic cultural, educational, and economic assets. While the project has achieved early successes—such as halting kiln demolitions and fostering collaboration with local authorities—it still faces major obstacles, notably the lack of systematic documentation of the remaining kilns, whose number and architectural diversity remain largely unknown. The long-term preservation of this tradition is uncertain. To address these challenges, the project focuses on two primary objectives: (1) creating a “Brick Kiln Dossier” to document multi-generational family practices through environmental mapping and interviews with artisans, and (2) exploring innovative conservation strategies to adaptively reuse kiln structures, ensuring that Mang Thít’s living heritage continues to evolve and thrive.