Paul Christiansen in Environment
Saigon's Weather Dude Is Dedicated to Keeping Saigoneers Dry This Rainy Season
Why is it raining in Saigon? Because it’s the rainy season. Sure, but if you want to be more specific, you can cite conditions in the Bay of Bengal, more than 2,500 kilometers away. It’s there that the wind conditions form that flow across the Gulf of Thailand, sucking up the moisture that drenches Vietnam’s southern metropolis.
In the Era of Constant Rebuilding, We Turn to Vietnamese Modernism for Nostalgic Comfort
For two years now, I've checked the Vietnamese Modernist Architecture Facebook group almost every day. Here, members post ...
How Laos's Dams Are Powering Vietnam, Other ASEAN Nations Despite Mekong Concerns
Following a spate of foreign investment in the 1990s, Laos began producing surplus electricity and looked to export it. Today, around 80% of its energy, largely from hydropower, is sold to neighbors. Electricity exports from Laos generate around US$2.6 billion for what is one of the poorest nations in mainland Southeast Asia. Across the region, neighbors including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia have become reliant on hydropower from Laos. Slowly but surely, however, this is changing.
A Pop-up Night Park Brings the Joy of Playing in the Rain to Phú Mỹ Hưng
A lack of public spaces and activities has been a chronic problem plaguing Saigon’s urban planning since the city experienced its first population boom a few decades ago. If you happen to be near District 7 in the next two months, a pop-up park could be a new option for children, and perhaps some particularly exuberant adults, to frolic in the rain and the evening.
Elise Luong in Environment
Living, Learning, Loving From the Earth at Ninh Bình's Lá Library
A stone's throw away from Cúc Phương National Park in Ninh Bình Province sits Lá Library, an education center promoting sustainable living through sustainable agriculture farming, earthen building techniques and the art of chilling out.
The Saigon House That Swapped Its Front Door for a Moat
Does a house need walls?
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Is the Yeti Vietnamese? This Ancient Ape Might Hold the Answer.
Can you name a Vietnamese animal that hasn’t been hunted to the precipice of extinction or become a commodified item whose flesh, fur, or feathers are only deemed significant in relation to their practical use by humans?
This Suburban Hanoi House Answers 'Yes' to 'How Many Windows Do You Want?'
Do you love the tropical summer? Does bathing in the warmth of the sun spark joy in you? How many windows are enough to solar-power your everyday life? If you, too, are toiling with these existential concerns on a daily basis, perhaps this recent residential project might provide some inspiration.
2 More Weeks for AAG Repairs, Hanoi to Get Free WiFi Network
In the ongoing saga of Vietnam’s temperamental WiFi connection, we’ve got good news and bad news.
[Photos] Past and Present Mingle in Hanoi’s ‘Attic Apartment’
When it comes to the scores of cramped and aging homes in urban Vietnam, local architects have a knack for transforming these unusual spaces into not only liveable but trendy and functional housing.
[Video] The Story of San Francisco’s Suu the Street Sweeper
When she first arrived in the United States, single mother Suu Ngo spoke no English.
[Infographic] Here's How to Get Fined While Driving a Motorbike
With an ever-changing set of traffic laws and penalties, it can be hard to keep up with Saigon's rules of the road.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Development
For Japanese Retailers, Saigon Center Opening a Sign of Good Things to Come
Across the street from a colorful, decades-old Hindu temple, motorbikes pour into the parking garage of the newly opened Saigon Center. Spiraling five floors below ground, the downtown shopping m...
Saigon’s Book Street Is Popular, Even With Declining Sales
Since its opening in January, Saigon’s downtown book street has seen plenty of visitors but fewer sales than expected.
[Illustrations] Japanese Architect Sketches Tokyo Metro Stations and the Chaos Above Them
In the dozens of digital renderings which envision a city’s future, you’ll find soaring skylines and innovative architecture but very little personality.
Laos’ Third Mekong River Dam Spells Danger for the Delta
Laos is preparing to begin construction on its third hydropower dam along the Mekong River.
[Photos/Video] Hanoi Architects Breathe New Life Into a Standard Tube House
By now, everyone in Vietnam is familiar with the standard tube house layout: a staircase in the middle, bedrooms on the sides and a ground floor that usually substitutes as a parking garage.
MobiFone's 4G Users Unimpressed by New Service
The recent rollout of MobiFone’s 4G trial service left much to be desired as early subscribers reported choppy reception and a hefty price tag.
Heart Disease on the Rise Among Young Urban Vietnamese: Experts
Young Vietnamese city dwellers are increasingly at risk of heart disease, according to local health officials.
Hanoi Approves Controversial Hoan Kiem Hotel Project
Hanoians will soon see a new hotel overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake, and not everyone is happy about it.
Vietnamese Spend 3 Working Days a Week Online: Report
On average, Vietnamese internet users spend over 24 hours a week online.
Quang Tri Considers Another Solar Power Plant
Not long after breaking ground on its first solar power facility, Quang Tri province is considering another sun-powered clean energy plant.
[Video] Nghe An Man Builds Helicopter From Car Parts
Some people enjoy reading in their spare time; others enjoy a good game of cards, a walk in the park or an evening nhậu. Fifty-year-old Le Van Thoa is none of those people.
UNDP Urges Greener Aviation Industry in Vietnam
At a consultation workshop held last May, the UN Development Program (UNDP) urged Vietnam’s civil aviation sector to step up green measures in order to achieve global goals in reducing the aviation in...
The Mystery Behind Vietnam’s Top-Notch Test Takers
A recent paper by the World Bank has managed to provide at least some insight into Vietnamese students’ notably high academic performance.
[Photos] Life in a Saigon Tube House
If you think your living conditions are cramped, you haven’t been to Nguyen Phi Vu’s house.
[Photos] Losing Ground: Binh Thuan Village Swallowed by Sea
In the small village of Tien Duc perched on Vietnam’s south-central coast, over 300 homes have been swallowed by rising seas.
Officials Push for Long Thanh Airport Construction to Start in 2019
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has called upon the Ministry of Transport to begin construction of the long-awaited Long Thanh Airport by 2019 at the latest.
