Young architect from Nghe An preserves time through sketches.

In a small, unassuming studio on Nguyen Sy Sach Street in Vinh City, Tran Hoang Kim showed me the sketches he had painstakingly created. The first one he introduced was a sketch.Temple of Duke Tran Hung Hoc(Thanh Xuan commune, Thanh Chuong district).

"I painted this picture eight years ago, during a trip back to my hometown. This temple is connected to my childhood, a place where I and my friends often came to play, running and jumping under the shady trees, listening to the elders tell old stories. Besides this temple, in Thanh Xuan commune, my hometown, there are other ancient relics such as the Duc Thanh Hai Temple, the Dang family church..." His voice lowered, his eyes shining with nostalgia.

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"Perhaps it was the ancient relics associated with my childhood memories that ignited my passion for heritage sketching, and for many years, I have diligently pursued it as an indispensable part of my life."

Architect and artist Tran Hoang Kim

Born in 1993, Tran Hoang Kim is the youngest of four siblings. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Architecture department at Hanoi University of Civil Engineering. After graduation, he worked in the capital for a long time. However, in 2023, with his parents getting older and his mother falling seriously ill, Kim decided to return to Nghe An to continue his architectural design work while opening a small art studio in Vinh City, where he could wholeheartedly pursue his passion for painting.

Recalling her early days as a artist, Kim shared: "When I was little, my best friend and I loved drawing. Later, we decided to pursue architecture – a field where technology and art intersect. While working in Hanoi, I participated in many heritage sketching activities, traveling throughout the country to sketch ancient architectural structures. When I returned to my hometown, I realized that in Vinh, the field of sketching was almost forgotten. So I decided to rekindle that passion by seeking out historical sites in Nghe An, where every brick and every roof tile holds ancient stories."

For over a year, Kim has traveled throughout Nghe An province, from Vinh city to neighboring districts, documenting the beauty of its historical sites. His first sketches were of Hong Son Temple, Quang Trung Temple, Dung Quyet Mountain, Diec Pagoda, Vinh Ancient Citadel... Gradually, his exploration expanded, reaching more distant locations such as Hoanh Son communal house (Nam Dan district), Cuong Temple (Dien Chau district), Corn Temple (Hoang Mai town), Qua Son Temple (Do Luong district), and familiar historical sites in his hometown of Thanh Chuong such as Bach Ma Temple, Vo Liet communal house, and Ca Temple...

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Initially, I only drew out of passion, but as I drew more, I felt I needed to do something bigger, not just to preserve but also to contribute to the preservation of the cultural values ​​of my homeland.

Architect and artist Tran Hoang Kim

The sketch of the Tran Hung Hoc Temple, once a masterpiece, has now become a symbol of Kim's long journey. On his paper, ancient communal houses, temple gates, and pagodas appear with a beauty that is both nostalgic and vibrant. His meticulous brushstrokes not only depict the architecture but also tell the story of a land, of the people connected to its heritage through generations. And it is through these drawings that his love for his homeland deepens more than ever before.