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Without any reinforced concrete or shiny paint, nor having the familiar roof type from the stilts house in mountainous areas, Laxsik stands out at the first sight with a special trait of its unique log cabins: H’Mong cultural identity displayed in the roof.
To say “We are creating a living space with H’Mong distinction.” is nowhere near as tough as to go on the journey of realizing that idea, particularly in highlighting the unmistakable H’Mong cultural style at the very first overall view of the lodges. At Laxsik, we imply in the ancient H’Mong roof the story about their lifestyle 100 years ago.
The roof of Laxsik lodge consists of 3 layers attached to one another with screws as well as the craftsmen’s dexterity. The highest part is a layer of Vietnamese HINOKI, a type of wood containing oil and having heat resistance. In between are corrugated iron sheets to prevent roof leaks and protect the house from bad weather. The last one is the ceiling made from skillfully woven bamboo and rattan.
The sophistication of the roof lies in they way Laxsik’s craftsmen choose and seek for the material – the ancient H’Mong cloven HINOKI timbers which were popular only before the 1980s. In the ancient H’Mong architecture, the roof sheets are made mostly of oily wood like Vietnamese HINOKI in order to trap the heat. This is the most noticeable feature that one can easily identify when arriving in a Mong village. Vietnamese HINOKI, which helps H’Mong people to get through the cold in the winter and make the house cool in the hot summer can also last for dozens of years.
After collecting those special materials, our skillful craftsmen restore every piece of wood and then work out to design a roof that can maintain the rusticity of H’Mong architecture which can’t be found anywhere else but at the same time combine with the two lower layers to create the solidity to protect the people from highland frigid winds, cold pouring rain and the boiling hot summers scorching Sapa soil.
Every detail of the roof is delicately created by the craftsmen’s skillful hands, showing the harmony of traditional traits and modern techniques in the image of H’Mong roof from the early 20th century, simple but charming. We’ve been waiting for you to come here and enjoy the story with us.
By: Bich Ngoc, Thao Linh
