As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
Khôi Phạm in Environment
What I Talk About When I Talk About Vietnam's Penguin Trashcans
Compared to the average Vietnamese, I might be thinking about trashcans a smidgen too much — not just any trashcan, but the infamous penguin-shaped trashcans that are ubiquitous at every corner of our public spaces.
Linh Phạm in Parks & Rec
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body
I stood on the top floor of a building on Khâm Thiên Street, feeling grateful for the cold air. I came out here to take a break from the other side of the floor, which was divided into three rooms — three dance studios.
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under construction during our August visit. Gargantuan machines for laying pulverized gravel inched aside to let our 7-seater pass so we could reach the home of Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy to check in on her small fish drying home business.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. Chó cỏ is the general term for the adorable mutts, usually mixes between Vietnam’s native dog species, born without the prestige of named breeds, while gym cỏ and net cỏ denote the casual gyms and internet cafes in one’s neighborhood. In the same vein of logic, may I put forth a new name for a special genre of Vietnamese fruits: trái cỏ?
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples or the ornate regality of Nguyễn-Dynasty palaces. This time-honored style is widely accepted as the hallmark of Vietnam’s cultural wealth. What’s more fascinating but lesser-known is how this cultural vestige — which distinguished our architecture from that of China and Japan — has also managed to evolve in the new age, finding ways to exist right in the middle of our modern lifetime.
Developer Proposes Saigon River Park and Underground Mall
Local developer Van Thinh Phat Group has submitted to city officials a proposal to build a new public park and underground trade center along the western bank of the Saigon River.
Da Nang Locals Call for Inspection of Industrial Park Accused of Pollution
Locals in Da Nang's Lien Chieu District are calling upon authorities to investigate a nearby industrial park whom they have accused of polluting local rivers and damaging public health.
40 Dead Tiger Cubs Discovered in Tiger Temple Freezer
Last Wednesday, authorities made a grisly discovery while shutting down Thailand's controversial Tiger Temple, recovering 40 dead tiger cubs from an on-site freezer.
Phnom Penh's Canals Disappear Beneath a Sea of Pollution
While Saigon has its own polluted canals to contend with and Hanoi works to clean up its act, our neighbors to the west are also struggling to bring their rubbish woes under control.
The D2 House of Your Dreams, Where Traditional Architecture Meets Contemporary Style
Inspired by traditional Vietnamese architecture, the Saigon-born architects of VACO Design have outfitted this chic District 2 home with intelligent design, both inside and out.
Hanoi to Invest $5.5bn in New Airport Facility
Hanoi officials announced on Monday their plan to expand the capital's airport facilities at a cost of US$5.5 billion.
Vietnam Remains Among Countries With Most Smokers in the World
Though Vietnam has made a dent in its tobacco fixation, the country still has one of the highest rates of smoking in the world.
Saigon Officially Approves Thu Thiem's Eco Smart City
After years of small steps forward, the US$2.2 billion Eco Smart City project planned for Thu Thiem has finally received the official stamp of approval.
[Photos] Hanoi's CN House Proves Good Things Come in Small Packages
Hanoi-based architects MON Atelier recently transformed a tiny house tucked away in one of the capital's alleys from an aging, 45.6-square-meter structure to a charming, cozy residence known as the CN...
Vietnam, General Electric Enter 1,000MW Wind Power Pact
American-based General Electric (GE) and Vietnam’s trade ministry have agreed on a massive wind power deal that will supply the country with 1,000 megawatts of power by 2025.
[Video] This D7 High-Rise Is Getting Its Own Artificial Island
Last month, local firms An Gia Investment and Phat Dat Real Estate Development Joint Stock Company joined forces with Japan's Creed Group to introduce one of the city's most ambitious luxury residence...
Vietnamese Telecoms Aim for Global Domination
While much of the conversation surrounding Vietnam’s largest state-owned companies relates to privatization and removing foreign ownership limits, two of Vietnam's telecommunications giants, FPT and V...
[Photos] Proposed Design for Bac Ninh’s City Hall is a Stunner
Vietnam’s Modern architecture scene continues to mature as local outfits - like 23o5studio, Nishizawa Architects and Nha Dan Architecture, to name a few – show a consistent pattern of innovation in th...
Vietnamese Students Take Home Prize at Intel ISEF 2016
Two Saigon high school students made a big impression at an international science-engineering fair in the US for their all-terrain wheelchair design.
Saigon to Roll out Smart Parking Lots
Saigon is poised to deploy smart parking lots in downtown areas to meet the growing demand for space.
Google Translate Adds Offline Mode, Instant Chinese Translation
Google just made some major improvements on its translation tools.
[Photos] 22.House: An Homage to Vietnamese Modernist Architecture
Situated near Nha Trang's central market, this creation from architecture firm Chon.a serves as a homage to the aesthetics of Vietnamese modernist architecture.
The State of the Metro: An Update on Saigon's Subway Construction
Now entering its fourth year, construction of the Saigon Metro system is chugging along. With several lines in development and plenty of work still to go, Saigoneer takes a closer look at the pro...
Sapa May Be Getting an Airport
The province of Lao Cai is close to having its own airport, as several ministries have backed a plan whose construction could begin as soon as next quarter.
[Photos] Architect Pairs Minimalist Design With Green Surroundings
Located in a greenery-free neighborhood of Binh Duong province, the beauty of Up2Green house lies not only in the urban zen of its architectural elements but also in the homeowners' motivations ...
