Case Study: An initiative for Vietnam Culture Map

Hanoi Textile & Design Map (HTDM) is an initiative that documents, archives, and celebrates the cultural values of Hanoi’s textile and design fields. Focusing on locations and individuals working with local materials, HTDM highlights the living heritage of craft and creativity in the city.

Originally developed as a case study, HTDM allows the team to explore models for future Cultural and Creative projects. With a long-term vision, the project aims to evolve into a community-based archive—serving as both a resource and a platform for preserving Vietnam’s rich cultural legacy.

The approach combines fieldwork, community outreach, and digital design. The team conducted site visits, interviews, and photo documentation to build initial records. Practitioners were also invited to contribute materials for the archive. As part of the process, two website prototypes—desktop and mobile—were developed to test digital engagement

Looking ahead, HTDM sets the groundwork for a network of Vietnam Culture Map — a long-term project that reflects both our commitment to cultural preservation and our belief in the power of, community-led knowledge systems. Pilot projects (Hanoi Textile & Design Map and Hanoi City Map) act as prototypes, helping us test and iterate a scalable framework for both interacted pillars.

The first pillar, Community-built Maps, is a set of digital platforms created and operated by professionals and practitioners in specific cultural fields. Each platform is defined by the expertise and focus of its operational team—ensuring that knowledge is shared by those who live and practice it. These platforms are envisioned as socially responsible projects that contribute directly to the preservation and circulation of heritage practices. At XAVAN, we work alongside these teams as facilitators and consultants, offering strategic support and helping each group shape their platform according to their content and context.

The second pillar, Educursion Maps, focuses on the design and implementation of immersive cultural programs and tours. These are developed in collaboration with eco-tourism enterprises and educational organizations, allowing participants to experience local culture in an active, situated way. These programs are meant not only to share knowledge with wider publics but also to generate income streams that support the continuation of heritage practices. Our team at XAVAN is directly responsible for researching, developing, and launching these programs. 

This year marks the first stage of implementation. For Community-built Maps, we are preparing the launch of Hanoi Textile & Design Map, which will go live in December 2025 and focus on documenting textile-related practices in Hanoi. For Educursion Maps, we began development of the Hanoi City Map in January 2025. It will offer curated cultural tours and immersive programs and is set to officially launch in September 2025 with tours ready for distribution.

Hanoi Textile & Design Map Prototype:

Desktop View

Mobile View

See Website Development below: