The Gradience of Living
06 pm – 08 pm, Tues 05 Aug 2025
VAC Hanoi
6/44/11 Tô Ngọc Vân, Tây Hồ
From the organizer:
Hanoi Ad Hoc / adhoc practice presents the ongoing design process for “The Gradience of Living,” a two-part exhibition at GES-2 House of Culture in Moscow, Russia.
In response to Hanoi Ad Hoc’s dedicated research on Khu Tập Thể (KTT), adhocpractice has been invited by the V–A–C Foundation (Moscow) to create and curate both indoor and outdoor installations and scenography. These works explore the legacy of the microrayon—the original Soviet model for socialist collective mass housing—through the culturally adaptive, lived environment of Vietnam’s KTTs.
Situating them within a broader transnational framework of socialist urbanism, the exhibition aims to highlight three experiences of life within the context: the superimposed rationalisation of Soviet’s mikorayon, the adhocism of KTT and the diaspora of Vietnamese people who encapsulate and migrate their way of living outside of its compatible social context.
From control to chaos—and the negotiations in between—the design process emphasizes the transition between these sub-typologies, crafting an immersive spatial experience reflecting on the gradience of socialist living. Rather than presenting a conventional historical exhibition, the scenography centers on emotional resonance and lived texture.
The open public talk invites community input and feedback, embracing an inclusive design methodology grounded in adhocism and the spirit of Vietnamese communal life. With the coordination and support from Vietnam Art Collection (VAC) in tandem with Ryan Nguyen’s short-term residency at VAC Hanoi, the talk also hopes to situated itself in between both the audience of art and architecture to generate discourse addressing the interdisciplinary expansion of Vietnam’s creative culture.
The work will be presented by:
– Bao Nguyen (Pratt Institute, B.Arch. ’28)
– Ryan Nguyen (Princeton University, M.Arch. ’25)
with additional insights from:
– Trung Mai (Principal, Hanoi Ad Hoc / adhocpractice)
Follow updates on event’s page.
