Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
In 2023, architect Trung Mai helped repurpose the Gia Lam Train Factory in Hanoi—traditionally an industrial and inaccessible site—as a cultural venue for the Hanoi Creative Design Festival. Over 200 architects, artists, universities, and independent creative groups transformed sections of the factory into spaces for exhibitions, performances, and public engagement.
Notably, Warehouse 10B hosted an exhibition titled "Architecture, Factory and Re-drawing the Modern Dream," curated by Trung alongside Hanoi Ad Hoc and two local universities. The project preserved the factory's structures and machinery by focusing on cleaning and installation rather than alteration, allowing visitors to experience the space as both industrial and cultural.
The factory provided a rare opportunity for public experimentation, with events like graffiti performances, sound installations, virtual reality experiences, and interactive public design activities. Visitors could explore areas previously closed to the public and engage with Hanoi’s industrial heritage outside conventional museums.
The initiative required collaboration between creative teams and public institutions, including coordination with railway authorities, local agencies, and technical staff. This process gave younger participants practical experience managing large urban heritage spaces with multiple stakeholders.
Trung Mai noted that the project illustrates the potential for architecture and design in Hanoi to contribute proactively to urban improvement, independent of client commissions. He credits part of this approach to his work with UNESCO initiatives linked to Hanoi’s designation as a UNESCO City of Design, which encouraged collaboration among creative communities, local authorities, and cultural organizations to address urban challenges.