#Multifunctional building #Huế #1935
Jacques Alphée Lagisquet, Hồ Đắc Cáo
11 Lê Lợi
530000
Huế,
Vietnam
Access: Accessible
Today's use: Restaurant
Description
Le Cercle Sportif stands out for its use of curved and horizontal elements. One of the building’s most remarkable aspects is the large veranda that extends towards the river, creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. The veranda seems to float over the water, serving as both a social space and an architectural statement that integrates the building with the landscape. On the upper level, a row of circular ventilation elements adds a decorative and functional detail to the otherwise minimalist design. The large roof terrace is surrounded by a low parapet wall with horizontal railings, consistent with the building’s overall linear aesthetic.
Description
Le Cercle Sportif stands out for its use of curved and horizontal elements. One of the building’s most remarkable aspects is the large veranda that extends towards the river, creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. The veranda seems to float over the water, serving as both a social space and an architectural statement that integrates the building with the landscape. On the upper level, a row of circular ventilation elements adds a decorative and functional detail to the otherwise minimalist design. The large roof terrace is surrounded by a low parapet wall with horizontal railings, consistent with the building’s overall linear aesthetic.
History
Le Cercle Sportif is located by the Phu Xuan Bridge and the Perfume River in Huế, central Vietnam. It’s an architectural landmark that dates back to the French colonial era.
It is said on several websites that originally, Le Cercle Sportif functioned as a social club for French colonial officials and the elite in Huế. It served as a recreational space with facilities for sports, social gatherings, and events, becoming a symbol of colonial high society in the early 20th century. The city’s elite gathered here to play tennis, swim in a pool that existed on-site until the 1990s, and enjoy drinks while taking in the river view from a veranda that stretched out over the water.
The building's reconstruction work was finished in 2022. Today, the building serves as an upscale restaurant and caffè.
Unfortunately, we couldn't find any sources confirming the construction year, the architects or even the existence of Hồ Đắc Cáo as an architect of the central Vietnamese city of Huế. According to a posting in the Meta platform's group "Vietnamese Modernist Architecture" by Nguyễn Ngọc Sơn it is stated that Hồ Đắc Cáo together with Jacques Alphée Lagisquet were the architects of the Cercle Sportif. But we cannot provide a verified source yet. Also, some sources, mainly French, date the year of construction to 1940 instead of 1935.
History
Le Cercle Sportif is located by the Phu Xuan Bridge and the Perfume River in Huế, central Vietnam. It’s an architectural landmark that dates back to the French colonial era.
It is said on several websites that originally, Le Cercle Sportif functioned as a social club for French colonial officials and the elite in Huế. It served as a recreational space with facilities for sports, social gatherings, and events, becoming a symbol of colonial high society in the early 20th century. The city’s elite gathered here to play tennis, swim in a pool that existed on-site until the 1990s, and enjoy drinks while taking in the river view from a veranda that stretched out over the water.
The building's reconstruction work was finished in 2022. Today, the building serves as an upscale restaurant and caffè.
Unfortunately, we couldn't find any sources confirming the construction year, the architects or even the existence of Hồ Đắc Cáo as an architect of the central Vietnamese city of Huế. According to a posting in the Meta platform's group "Vietnamese Modernist Architecture" by Nguyễn Ngọc Sơn it is stated that Hồ Đắc Cáo together with Jacques Alphée Lagisquet were the architects of the Cercle Sportif. But we cannot provide a verified source yet. Also, some sources, mainly French, date the year of construction to 1940 instead of 1935.
