in Architecture

Saigon's VOH Radio Building, a Marvel of Architect Lê Văn Lắm's Modernist Intuition

In the middle of the 20th century, Vietnam grew to become one of the world’s prominent centers of modernist architecture. Saigon at the time was an economic and cultural heart of the region, where many official government structures were constructed and designed in the style of modernist architecture. They were created with aesthetics and form in mind, laying the groundwork to usher in a new period of growth for Vietnamese creative independence.

in Environment

Waste-to-Energy Plants Might Be the Remedy for Vietnam's Struggling Landfills

Lam Van Quyet lives three kilometers from the Tây Bắc waste facility in Ho Chi Minh City, but he knows exactly what time the garbage trucks arrive there.

in Development

New Proposal Plans Metro Line Linking Long Thành Airport, Thủ Thiêm

Let the paperwork begin!

in Architecture

Modular Shading, Sliding Doors Blur the Line Between Interior, Exterior at Bà Rịa House

Located 130 kilometers from Saigon, this humble housing project in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu is a prime example of living enough rather than living large. Even though the family owns a lot spanning a total area of 1,000 square meters, the house itself only covers 62.8 square meters, utilizing locally available materials and craftsmanship on a budget of US$19,000.

in Natural Selection

Is Dã Tràng Vietnam's Cutest Sand Artist or a Folk Symbol of Fruitless Pursuits?

Strolling along Vietnam’s beaches when the tides are low, one might encounter a number of whimsical patterns created by countless sand pellets. These are the works of a tiny species of crustacean called dã tràng. Not only are these little crabs fascinating, thanks to their sand-sieving mechanism, which is how they obtain food, but they are also the subject of an intriguing folktale that often leaves readers pondering its philosophical implications. 

in Architecture

5 Iconic Buildings in Saigon That Showcase Vietnamese Modernist Architecture

Take a stroll along any random street in downtown Saigon , one is bound to bump into a hodgepodge of architectural styles....

in Parks & Rec

I Know Where the Caged Bird Sings: The Joy of Saigon's Birdsong Competition

One by one, motorbikes arrived, carrying the tell-tale cages covered with cloth and parked in the gravel lot beside the coffee shop where Saigoneer sat listening to the caged birds suspended above a patch of scrabbly grass.

in Architecture

A New Reading Space in Trà Vinh Creates Comfort From Recycled Materials

“A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us,” according to famed Czech writer Franz Kafka.

Back Society

in Architecture

Saigon's VOH Radio Building, a Marvel of Architect Lê Văn Lắm's Modernist Intuition

In the middle of the 20th century, Vietnam grew to become one of the world’s prominent centers of modernist architecture. Saigon at the time was an economic and cultural heart of the region, where man...

in Environment

Waste-to-Energy Plants Might Be the Remedy for Vietnam's Struggling Landfills

Lam Van Quyet lives three kilometers from the Tây Bắc waste facility in Ho Chi Minh City, but he knows exactly what time the garbage trucks arrive there.

in Development

New Proposal Plans Metro Line Linking Long Thành Airport, Thủ Thiêm

Let the paperwork begin!

in Architecture

Modular Shading, Sliding Doors Blur the Line Between Interior, Exterior at Bà Rịa House

Located 130 kilometers from Saigon, this humble housing project in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu is a prime example of living enough rather than living large. Even though the family owns a lot spanning a total area...

in Natural Selection

Is Dã Tràng Vietnam's Cutest Sand Artist or a Folk Symbol of Fruitless Pursuits?

Strolling along Vietnam’s beaches when the tides are low, one might encounter a number of whimsical patterns created by countless sand pellets. These are the works of a tiny species of crustacean call...

in Architecture

5 Iconic Buildings in Saigon That Showcase Vietnamese Modernist Architecture

Take a stroll along any random street in downtown Saigon, one is bound to bump into a hodgepodge of architectural styles. Sleek but boring international-style skyscrapers, tranquil Buddhist pagodas, a...

in Parks & Rec

I Know Where the Caged Bird Sings: The Joy of Saigon's Birdsong Competition

One by one, motorbikes arrived, carrying the tell-tale cages covered with cloth and parked in the gravel lot beside the coffee shop where Saigoneer sat listening to the caged birds suspended above a p...

in Architecture

A New Reading Space in Trà Vinh Creates Comfort From Recycled Materials

“A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us,” according to famed Czech writer Franz Kafka.

in Ẽplain

Vietnam's Trendiest Way to Flaunt Your Social Status Is a Meme Lychee Tea

Lychee tea can be found anywhere and anytime around Saigon, from street stalls to artisanal cafes. Averaging VND20,000–50,000, it’s a popular choice among Vietnamese youths. However, Thái Công Cafe pr...

in Sports

Saigon Powerlifter Lê Văn Công Earns Vietnam's First, Only Medal at Paralympics

Even though Vietnam’s delegation finished the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris without any medals, our Paralympics team managed to clinch one bronze from powerlifting.

in Society

Diving (Literally) Into Hoàng Hoa Thám's Mountains of Secondhand Clothes

In a hẻm, clothing sprawled out on platforms lined with the plastic sacks the clothing came in, overspilling onto the tarmac road. This was just a glimpse of the thrifting scene in Vietnam.

in Architecture

This Terracotta Workshop Makeover Sings the Praises of Vietnam's Red Bricks

A Quảng Nam brick kiln that's been operating for over twenty years has received a makeover that allows guests to get a more intimate look at the traditional craft of making terracotta.

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

One Nation's Beloved Cá Lóc Is Another Nation's Horror Movie

America has been losing its shit over snakeheads. All summer long my algorithm-led newsfeed has been alerting me to ominous headlines including “‘Horror movie’ snakehead fish that can slither on land ...

in Environment

Vietnam, Southeast Asian Nations Burst Into the Solar Energy Landscape

Sunny Southeast Asia has made significant strides in solar energy, with solar farm capacity exceeding 20GW across ASEAN countries. Despite this rapid growth and ambitious renewable goals, nations in t...

in Architecture

'Slow/ed/ing Architecture': When Architects Ruminate on Architecture Together

The super cute duo that make up the design studio “Exutoire” are Bùi Quý Sơn and Paul-Antoine Lucas. Life and work partners, they moved back(ish) to Vietnam from Oslo last year, and are currently prep...

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

An Octopus? In My Cà Mau Swamp? It's More Likely Than You Think.

Worms live in the ground, birds live in the air, cá lóc live in lakes and octopuses live in the ocean, right? Wrong! Octopus can also live in the river.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

In Awe of the Mekong Delta's Majestic Sluice Gates

A row of impenetrable watchtowers tasked with inflicting ruthless law and order upon a dystopian borderland seething with marauders, bandits and brigands? No. Sluice gates.

in Architecture

A New Company Headquarters Brings a Green Respite to Industrial Đồng Nai

Hammocks, koi ponds and mature trees are not typically associated with industrial parks.

Paul Christiansen

in Architecture

The Pedestrian Bridge That Teaches You the Values of Patience

“We need the sweet pain of anticipation to tell us we are really alive.”

in Tech

Honda to Cease Production of Super Cub 50cc, Vietnam's Beloved Bike, in November

By the end of 2025, Honda will cease the manufacturing of all motorbikes with 50cc engines, including the beloved 50cc Super Cub, to comply with stricter emission standards.