In formal planning practices, urban space is often approached through systematic and linear development models. However, the movement of social realities continuously creates new spatial dimensions. This complexity has attracted international scholars to examine Vietnamese cities from multiple perspectives: from Annette M. Kim's sidewalk economy, Sarah Turner's everyday livelihood networks, Marie Gibert-Flutre's study of Saigon's "hẻm" structure, to Erik Harms' distinctive socio-cultural spaces.

Continuing this line of inquiry, the 6-week series will use the book The Spatial Logic of Informal Urbanism: Inventraset assemblages as its core material. Participants will engage with the authors' analytical methods and use them to directly examine urban transformation in HCMC. After 5 peer discussion sessions, the entire program will culminate in a Panel Discussion in the final week, creating a space for direct dialogue between participants and invited experts.

About the book:

In the most recent conversation with the facilitator, the author shared that the newly created term "Inventraset" can be translated as "Infrastructure", but the very creation of this term encourages readers to think more deeply about the connections between transport, vending and settlement. As the authors wrote in detail in the book:

"Our goal is to connect six words: ‘informal’, ‘vending’, ‘inventive’, ‘transport’, ‘transgression’, ‘settlement’ and ‘settled’— it is a challenge, but so are the cities that we seek to understand. We are keen to construct an intelligible framework in which to understand the complex cities, while avoiding any reduction to cause and effect, or predictable outcomes." — Kim Dovey, Redento B. Recio (2024, The Spatial Logic of Informal Urbanism: Inventraset assemblages)

Activity: Book reading and facilitated peer discussion
Language: Vietnamese, with English terminology used where no suitable translation is available
Number of participants: ~10 people
Time: Every Saturday, 2:00PM - 4:30PM
Location: In person in Saigon Ward.
Register here.

Proposed reading schedule:

• Session 1 (19/09/2026): Inventraset Assemblages
• Session 2 (26/09/2026): Reading the Informalized City
• Session 3 (03/10/2026): Inclusion and Illusion
• Session 4 (10/10/2026): The Informalized University
• Session 5 (17/10/2026): Rethinking Urban Informalities
• Session 6 (to be announced): Panel Discussion

*Note: Reading materials in English and Vietnamese translation (with AI assistance) will be provided one week before each session for participants to read in advance at home. Session time will be prioritized for discussion. Materials for Session 1 will be sent after the registration form is completed.

About the program:

"Đọc Đô Thị" (Reading the City) is a peer reading and discussion space initiated by Trần Đăng Khoa, aimed at exchanging ideas and creative practices in urban research. The program encourages participants to connect new knowledge from the readings with their existing professional backgrounds; interdisciplinary perspectives from planning, architecture, anthropology, social research, human geography... are welcome. In this space, the facilitator plays the role of designing activities, moderating, prompting discussion and connecting readers with the topic, experts and/or the authors of the book. Participants are expected to actively read, engage in dialogue and approach arguments with critical thinking. Ultimately, a peer-based and multidimensional discussion space will create opportunities for new research projects to emerge from solid and thoughtful academic perspectives.

About the facilitator:

Trần Đăng Khoa - Bachelor's degree in Urban Studies from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCMUSSH) and currently undergoing research training at the Institute for Social Life Research (Social Life Institute). Khoa pursues independent research using qualitative methods and documentary filmmaking practices focused on urban issues.

Khoa's current research focuses on how ride-hailing motorbike drivers interact with the physical environment at night through their senses, and seeks to answer the question: how are emotions shaped to sustain drivers' livelihoods? Using Auto-Ethnography, Khoa experiences the daily life and exposed outdoor working environment of a ride-hailing motorbike driver. From there, Khoa uses this experience to connect the nighttime livelihood stories of millions of other workers identified through the colors of their uniforms.

With a strong academic commitment, Khoa has presented research findings at numerous conferences and published articles in Vietnam and internationally on topics including sustainable livelihoods, the informal economy, urban governance policies, community culture, and place attachment.

Contact: Trần Đăng Khoa | 0706721103 | trandangkhoa.workspace@gmail.com