Huen Lao: Laung Prabang Traditional House in Lao

Luang Prabang in Lao is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Conservation zone. It is becoming popular among tourists from around the world to visit the city as a spot of tourist attraction. What Unesco conserves in this town? It's traditional houses, called Heun Lao. The word, Heun means house in the local language. Traditional houses in the city have been changed and adapted by many local and foreign investors without understanding the identity of the local tradition and culture. The renovation of many houses has been done by using the western logics. As a result, altered traditional houses have got new modern forms which have never existed in the past.

The study of Saisumpun, a lecturer of Lao National University suggests the wisdom of the locals on the extension of the Luang Prabang's Traditonal houses. In the west, social hirarchy is less evident in the modern livings. On the contrary, Heun Lao has spatial hierarchy, e.g. space of male is placed at the front of the house and space of female is placed at the rear of the house. Parents and elders are considered as higher status than their children. This traditional house has been thought about the family extension. If a family is getting bigger, the house can be extended and still keeping the identity of traditional livings. The unique space of the Lao house is called 'Kwuaan'. Kwuaan is a open, multi-purpose space, a centre for social and religious activities. There are two entrances for this space, one for entrance and another for spirit. To design or redesign space in the house, its traditional purpose and the concept of spatial hierarchy should be kept in order to conserve not only the architectural building but also the locals' living tradition and culture.

This poses a serious notion on globalisation. Perhaps, the concept of 'glocalisation' becomes more relevant when thinking about design and how to manage it.