The Hien Lam Cac Pavilion in the Imperial City of Hue is Restored to its Former Splendor
HUE- An inauguration ceremony will take place today, June 24,
in the Imperial City of Hue, Vietnam, to mark the restoration of the Hien Lam Cac pavilion, one of
the most important buildings within the walls of the Imperial City. Attended by representatives of the
Vietnamese authorities, UNESCO and Rhone-Poulenc S.A. (NYSE: RP), the ceremony marks the
end of more than two years of work to restore the "Pavilion of Lasting Lucidity" to its original
splendour.
Financed by the Government of Vietnam, under the aegis of UNESCO, this rescue operation was
the result of collaboration between the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, the Institute for
Building Science and Technology in Vietnam, acting as project manager and Rhone-Poulenc, which
contributed its scientific and technological support.
In 1993, the architectural compound of the monuments in Hue, including the Imperial City, was
included in UNESCO's World Heritage List. The Imperial City of Hue contains some 150 palaces,
temples and pavilions, nearly all of which are constructed of wood. The city, however, has suffered
from the ravages of time and the impact of war. The extremely humid climate is now the principal
cause of the deterioration of the buildings, encouraging the proliferation of plant life, fungi, insects and,
more specifically, a massive invasion of termites.
Built in 1821, Hien Lam Cac -- which, with its two storeys, is the tallest building in the Citadel of the
Imperial City -- has been under threat for some considerable time. A survey carried out in 1994 by
UNESCO, the French Technical Center for Wood and Furniture (Centre Technique du Bois et de
l'Ameublement - CTBA) and Rhone-Poulenc confirmed that the building was in an advanced state of
decay with at least 80 percent of its wooden structure severely damaged. Termites had eaten away at
the hearts of the 12-meter columns supporting the pavilion, threatening the entire building with
collapse. The roof beams and rafters, with their seven lines of tiles, had also suffered.
Rhone-Poulenc then launched the idea of creating a technological partnership with the Vietnamese
authorities and large-scale restoration work -- leading to the entire building being dismantled, with the
exception of the brickwork -- began in April 1996.
Rhone-Poulenc contributed its scientific expertise in the form of an insecticide -- fipronil -- originally
discovered by agrochemicals researchers at Rhone-Poulenc in the UK. This insecticide was able to
protect the new wood, halt the destruction of old wood and destroy the termitaries in the ground.
Teams of specialists were sent to Hue to work with the Vietnamese experts.
Both curative and preventive, the treatment proposed by Rhone-Poulenc's researchers, backed up by
the expertise of the CTBA, was designed to counter the attack of fungi and termites from the ground
and through the air. The techniques and products used were specifically tailored to satisfy the
particular constraints related to restoring the pavilion -- in particular, to avoid negative reactions with
the traditional lacquer used and the humid climate in this part of the world -- and to respect the
natural environment by using selective products effective in extremely low concentrations.
To protect Hien Lam Cac, an initial barrier against the termites was created around the building by
injecting and spraying the fipronil insecticide into the soil near the pavilion to prevent the insects from
advancing any further. A second barrier, similar to the first, was created by injecting the insecticide
into the brickwork, under the building and along the walls and staircases. The woodwork was treated
by having coats of the insecticide painted over its outer surfaces, sprayed inside the columns and
injected into the most vulnerable parts of the wood (the bases of the columns).
To be certain that this conservation program would continue into the future, Rhone-Poulenc made a
particular effort to transfer the necessary technology. A Vietnamese technician followed a training
course in France at the Technical Centre for Wood and Furniture, and a full-time Rhone-Poulenc
specialist supervised the teams responsible for treating the various structures, and provided further
training locally.
In order to continue this conservation program in the future, Hien Lam Cac must be subject to
regular, and expert, supervision if it is to survive the test of time.
"The Rhone-Poulenc Foundation/Institut de France is proud to have contributed, alongside
UNESCO, the Vietnamese government and the Hue Conservation Centre, to the restoration of the
Hien Lam Cac pavilion. Through this partnership, Rhone-Poulenc has underlined its long-standing
commitment to Vietnam where Rhone-Poulenc has been present since 1938," added Andre de
Marco, Director of Corporate Communications at Rhone-Poulenc.
The restoration of the Hien Lam Cac pavilion forms part of a wide-ranging program adopted by
Rhone-Poulenc through its Foundation, created in 1995 under the aegis of the Institut de France. Its
action program is focused on scientific partnerships and research, the protection of the world's natural
and cultural heritage, the education of young people and corporate philanthropy.
Rhone-Poulenc SA is a leading life science company, growing through innovations in human, plant
and animal health and through its specialty chemicals subsidiary, Rhodia. With sales in 1997 of FF90
billion (US$15 billion), the company employs 68,000 people in 160 countries worldwide.
UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation, adopted in 1972 the
world heritage convention in order to protect unique natural or cultural monuments and sites
worldwide today, the world heritage list comprises 50% sites (380 cultural sites, 107 natural sites and
19 sites which fall into both categories) which are located in 107 countries.
Hue Monuments Conservation Centre was established by the government of Vietnam to preserve
the cultural heritage of Hue. This is an institution devoted to studying historical, cultural and artistic
values of Hue's cultural heritage; carrying out museological activities, conservation, restoration and
presentation work to contribute to the development of Hue as the country's cultural and tourist centre.
From a staff of a dozen in the 1980's, Hue Monuments Conservation Centre employment has since
then increased up to 500.
PR NEWSWIRE, June 24, 1998.
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