takashi niwa’s stacked steel memorial honors vietnam construction industry’s unsung heroes

takashi niwa completes ashui pavilion from infrastructure

Takashi Niwa’s Ashui Pavilion in Hanoi is a memorial for the ‘unsung heroes’ of Vietnam’s construction industry — its workers, materials, and technologies. After Typhoon Yagi caused significant damage in Northern Vietnam in September 2024, underground infrastructure works once again demonstrated their importance in protecting dikes and piers, preventing erosion and land subsidence, and reinforcing weak soil, thereby facilitating the swift restoration of vital infrastructure projects.

To show appreciation for their contribution, the Vietnam and Japan-based studio has conceived the pavilion as a ceremonial space as well as a symbolic gesture of appreciation for these frequently forgotten figures that are crucial in shaping the built environment. It is crafted from steel sheet piles of varying lengths, stacked to form temporary ‘Steel Altars’.

celebrating construction workers, materials, and technologies

The Ashui Awards are among Vietnam’s most recognized honors in the construction sector, celebrating architects, investors, and buildings. For the 2025 ceremony and exhibition, the Ashui Pavilion was conceived as a gesture of gratitude for the silent contributions of those who form the foundation of the industry. Frequently, these workers and materials quietly depart the site after the groundwork is completed, moving on to new projects while attention shifts to the building’s exterior. Over time, their significant contributions tend to fade from memory because they remain unseen.

Takashi Niwa’s Ashui Pavilion comprises steel beams are arranged in a zigzag pattern, creating an open space for visitors to freely explore and enjoy the lush greenery peeking through the gaps. Retaining its original weathered colors with attached soil, the Pavilion offers a tactile experience where every rugged detail and trace of time is legible along the surfaces. Altogether, there are 69 steel sheet piles, ranging from 12 meters to 6 meters in length, stacked on top of and beside one another. Thanks to the easy handling of the material for infrastructure work, the pavilion was constructed in just one day with only four workers. This helped to realize one-fourth of the budget, 4,000 USD, to construct the large pavilion without trash. The architects then returned the steel piles to the yard to wait for the next construction site.

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project info:

name: Ashui Pavilion 2025 for Construction Heroes
architect: Takashi Niwa Architects

location: Hanoi, Vietnam

photographer: Minh Anh – NOTES, Tan Nguyen (Fly Cam)

design team: Takashi Niwa, Tran Thanh Tung, Trinh Thuy Hien, Bui Thi Thanh

collaborators: Wakasa Yuta, Maho Shimazaki

contractor: ConsMedia

suppliers: Viglacera AAC, 3T Group Viet Nam

lighting: IDA Lighting

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