Last weekend, Hanoi unveiled its first “model street”, on which all storefronts must follow strict aesthetic requirements.
The 1.5-kilometer road opened to the public on May 7 after less than four months of construction, reports Dan Tri. Built on 2.5 hectares of land owned by the National Defense Ministry, Le Trong Tan was exempt from the usual site clearance and reimbursement fees and is equipped with LED street lighting, trees, widened sidewalks and a new, expanded four-lane road.
But that's not the only thing that's different about this street. In addition to its other upgrades, city officials implemented a policy on Le Trong Tan in which all businesses must comply with specific requirements regarding the height, size and color of roadside signs and advertisements.
Municipal authorities funded the shop sign reform, which has resulted in an entire street of exclusively red and blue signage which stands no higher than 3.3 meters above the ground and can be no taller than 1.1 meters. While Dan Tri hailed Le Trong Tan’s new look as “uniform” and "good-looking”, the new stipulation could prove a challenge for advertising designers hoping to stand out from the crowd.
Le Trong Tan Street's new aesthetic seems reminiscent of Vietnam's Bao Cấp, or rationing, era, which took place from 1976 to 1986.
[Photo viaDan Tri]
