Phu Quoc, a former prison island located in the southwestern tip off mainland Vietnam, is home to a luxurious resort under the guise of a university.
“WELCOME TO LAMARCK UNIVERSITY,” a hotel staff and our guide greeted us as i stepped into the lobby of JW marriott Phu Quoc emerald Bay. University? isn’t this a hotel, or more specifically, a five-star resort? Before i could ask any further, she continued. “Our university was founded in 1894 by the French scientist Jean Baptiste lamarck. The current dean, ty collins’ great, great, great, greatgrandfather used to be the dean here, back in those days.”
We are standing in the lobby of a hotel on the island of Phu Quoc (pronounced “foo wok”), which lies just off vietnam’s southwestern tip.
This is the apparent backstory to the place: this “university” is a cluster of Hoi an-style architecture that started out as a boys’s school for european immigrants to the area. When the first and second wars descended, these families fled and left all their belongings behind. Artefacts from the library, tennis team, rugby teams have all been preserved and now sit proudly on display, in glass cabinets.
Architect Bill Bensley and his team spent years sourcing vintage collegiate objects such as these books, trophies, and suitcases from around the globe for the fictitious lamarck university.
As the in-depth historical run-down wrapped up, our guide said, “that’s why Bill Bensley is so amazing. I sometimes wonder how he even thinks [up] of things like that.” That one sentence made me realise that the “history” she had just shared was all made-up by one man — american-born, Bangkokbased architect Bill Bensley. There were no immigrants, no scientists, and no universities.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Look At Us
As public memorials face a public reckoning, there’s still too little thought paid to how women are represented — as bodies and as selves.
Two New Jewellery Collections Find Their Inspiration In The Human Anatomy
Two new jewellery collections find their inspiration in the human anatomy.
She For She
We speak to three women in Singapore who are trying to improve the lives of women — and all other gender identities — through their work.
Over The Rainbow
How the bright colours and lively prints created by illustrator Donald Robertson brought the latest Weekend Max Mara Flutterflies capsule collection to life.
What Is Love?
The artist Hank Willis Thomas discusses his partnership with the Japanese fashion label Sacai and the idea of fashion in the context of the art world.
The Luxury Hotel For New Mums
Singapore’s first luxury confinement facility, Kai Suites, aims to provide much more than plush beds and 24-hour infant care: It wants to help mothers with their mental and emotional wellbeing as well.
Who Gets To Eat?
As recent food movements have focused on buying local or organic, a deeper and different conversation is happening among America’s food activists: one that demands not just better meals for everyone but a dismantling of the structures that have failed to nourish us all along.
Reimagining The Future Of Fashion
What do women want from their clothes and accessories, and does luxury still have a place in this post-pandemic era? The iconic designer Alber Elbaz thinks he has the answers with his new label, AZ Factory.
A Holiday At Home
Once seen as the less exciting alternative to an exotic destination holiday, the staycation takes on new importance.
All Dressed Up, Nowhere To Go
Chinese supermodel He Sui talks about the unseen pressures of being an international star, being a trailblazer for East Asian models in the fashion world, and why, at the end of the day, she is content with being known as just a regular girl from Wenzhou.
