tube houses + motorbikes

The narrow “tube houses” [nhà ống] are a striking feature of Vietnamese urban architecture. They are typically three to four meters (10 to 13 feet) wide. Some of the older tube houses in Hanoi’s Old Town, which were often inhabited by several families, are up to 100 meters deep, while newer tube houses can reach as high as twelve storeys. Tube houses are said to be an amalgam of Vietnamese and French colonial stylistic elements.

#1-2 Hanoi, #3-6 Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon

“The tube house and the motorcycle are one of the most remarkable features in the urban landscape of Vietnam,” Mai [Hung Trung] said.

“They have been associated for many years, and one of the reasons is that the small motorcycle fits perfectly into the narrow tube house. And with the motorcycle, you can actually navigate to any corner of the narrow lane ways in the cities,” he added. A remarkable symbiosis.