Hanoi ARB Architects, directed by Nguyen Ha, was commissioned by the artist Xuan Hinh to build a museum devoted to Dao Mau, the worship of mother goddesses which was established in Vietnam in the 16th century, and declared a UNESCO-listed religion in 2016.

Located in the village of Hien Ninh, near the Vietnamese capital, it respects the existing exuberant landscape and preserves a small house of the artist. Surrounding this home are carefully executed new blocks that contain galleries for displaying artifacts having to do with Dao Mau. Thousands of clay tiles taken from abandoned dwellings in the vicinity have been used to clad the museum’s facades, true to the project’s commitment to respect local architectural heritage while creating a contemporary work.