Khôi Phạm

in Tech

Review: Horror Game 'Tai Ương' Exposes the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Our Culture

Natural disasters, illnesses, accidents, breakages, or even deaths: when a series of consecutive tragedies engulf a family, it’s often said that tai ương has befallen the unfornate victims. The term is also the name of a recently published Vietnamese horror game that has been making waves amongst gaming communities both nationwide and internationally, thanks to its layered narrative, chilling atmosphere, and meticulously crafted game environment.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

WildAct's Trang Nguyễn Turns to Social Media to Inspire a New Generation to Love Nature

Dr. Trang Nguyễn — a wildlife conservation scientist with a PhD from Cambridge and the founder of WildAct — needs little introduction. She has been recognized as one of Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30, called a conservation “hero” by Sir David Attenborough on BBC’s Planet Earth III, and had her inspiring story, which includes going undercover to bring down illegal ivory poaching rings in Africa after surviving cancer, covered widely. But much of her work has been behind the scenes or at least in corners devoted to conservations. Her recent arrival on the social media scene, amongst memes, music videos, and TikTok challenges, represents a shift in approach.

Phạm Phú Vinh

in Architecture

Vietnamese Vernacular Modernism Is a Local Language Created by the Ordinary People

In the history of architecture, rarely have we seen such a challenging movement as Vietnamese modernism. Not only does it show how a culture evolves and expresses itself across historical epochs through its building practice, from the traditional to colonial and eventually modern period, but the language of Vietnamese vernacular modernism also reveals deeper understandings of human creative potential.

in Architecture

How Saigon's V.A.R Building Epitomizes Vietnam's Architectural Autonomy

Completed in 1973, the V.A.R building at 9 Nguyễn Công Trứ Street in Nguyễn Thái Binh Ward, District 1, is a prominent example of Vietnamese mid-20th-century modernist architecture designed by architect Lê Văn Lắm. It not only represents the Vietnamese architectural identity in post-colonial eras, but also exemplifies its cultural autonomy.

in Development

Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà Leprosy Village to Be Relocated for Mega Resort Project

Authorities in Gia Lai Province have approved plans to relocate the Quy Hoà leprosy village from its current ocean-side setting in Quy Nhơn to make room for an ambitious real estate and tourism project.

in Environment

Opinion: Electric Vehicles Are Southeast Asia's Way out Amid the Global Fossil Fuel Crisis

As the Iran war crunches global energy supplies and disrupts prices, Southeast Asian leaders may need to diversify oil and gas supplies in order to protect ordinary people.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

An Ancient Turtle Named After Bánh Xèo Can Teach Us a Lot About Whimsy in Science

Nước mắm — that ruby-hued elixir; that salty, fish-flesh-sweet open secret in your favorite recipe; that indispensable icon of Vietnamese culture and, by extension, identity — owes itself to Commerson’s anchovies. That’s right, if your fish sauce comes from the central region, where it was first developed, the fish pressed with salt to produce it are Stolephorus commersonnii, a species named in 1801 after Philibert Commerson, a white Frenchman. Picture all the hardscrabble village homes suffering under the yoke of colonialism, where one of the day’s few pleasures was a humble meal made delicious by a carefully rationed dash of fish sauce and an ingredient whose name pays homage to their colonizers. 

Michael Tatarski

in Environment

Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form

Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"

Back Society

in Development

Cho Lon's Binh Tay Market May Be Getting a Makeover

Saigon city officials are mulling a VND122 billion (US$5.35 million) project to fully revamp Binh Tay, the 88-year-old market in the heart of District 6’s Chinatown.

in Development

Hanoi Requests $14bn to Rebuild 10 Aging Apartment Buildings

Hanoi's government is seeking over US$14 billion in investment to renovate and rebuild 10 old apartment buildings.

in Architecture

[Photos] Form and Function: Dong Nai's LT House

In Dong Nai province's residential Long Thanh District, the LT House is a modest dwelling where form and function come together to create a practical and aesthetically pleasing space out of simple mat...

in Development

Saigon to Build $672m, 9.5km Overpass From Airport to Downtown

In an effort to decrease traffic congestion near Tan Son Nhat International Airport, city officials are considering the construction of a VND15 trillion (US$672.6 million) overpass.

in Tech

China Now Home to World's Most Powerful Homemade Supercomputer

Recent supercomputer rankings have revealed that China not only continues to top this list but is now doing so with 100% domestic technology.

in Development

The Story Behind Saigon’s ‘Death’ Projects

A number of large, high-end projects in Saigon have long been stalled, their skeletons constant reminders of the city’s speculative real estate market.

in Development

Saigon Housing Is About to Get the Japanese Treatment

As early as next year, middle-class residents in the southern hub will be getting “Japan quality” housing.

in Development

Saigon to Demolish Old Apartment Buildings, Construct New Low-Income Housing

With a new set of politicians in office, Saigon's urban housing will see some changes in the coming year.

in Development

Hanoi to Get 1m New Trees, 5 World-Class Public Parks

If all goes to plan, Hanoi will be getting considerably greener in the next five years.

in Development

Vietnam Could Get a North-South High-Speed Railway

Though it won't be happening any time soon, Vietnam may one day have a high-speed railway line that runs the length of the country.

in Architecture

[Photos] Hanoi Home Seeks to Be One With Nature

It seems like most of the modern residential architecture in Vietnamese cities is focused on reconnecting with nature. A’s House Project in Hanoi is no exception.

in Development

Saigon to Launch $441m Anti-Flooding Project This Month

In response to Saigon's rainy season floods, municipal authorities are launching a US$441 million anti-flooding project at the end of this month.

in Tech

Local Coconut Startup Receives 6-Figure Funding

A local startup has received six-figure funding for its coconut business.

in Architecture

[Photos] This Hidden Nghe An House Packs a Green Punch

Located in central Vietnam's Nghe An province, the Cul-de-Sac House catches the attention of passersby thanks to its unusual structure.

in Development

Hanoi Seeks $115.5bn to Become 'Second Singapore'

In Saigon, the unspoken goal of urban development seems to be transforming the southern hub into another version of Singapore. For Hanoi, however, this is no longer an unspoken ambition, as offic...

in Development

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.

in Environment

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.

in Environment

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.

in Environment

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.

in Architecture

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.