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.
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 ...
Vietnam Drank 1bn Liters of Beer in First 4 Months of 2016
Vietnam, one of the world's thirstiest countries, drank over 1 billion liters of beer in the first four months of 2016.
Hanoi's Fancy, New, Boring Street
Last weekend, Hanoi unveiled its first “model street”, on which all storefronts must follow strict aesthetic requirements.
[Video] The People of Hanoi's Forgotten River Island
As more and more economic opportunities come to Vietnam's cities so, too, do more and more people.
Riverfront Construction Could Raise Saigon's Inner City Temperatures: Expert
In a city whose temperatures are already sweltering on their own, Vinhomes' latest riverfront development may turn the heat up a few degrees for city residents.
Korean Company to Develop Tran Hung Dao's 'Golden Triangle'
Along with the dozens of other iconic locations scattered across downtown Saigon, that three-pointed sliver of land bordered by Pham Ngu Lao, Nguyen Thai Hoc and Tran Hung Dao Streets will be getting ...
Canadian Firm to Invest $150m in New Solar Power Plant
Vietnam may be getting another solar power plant thanks to Canadian company CMX Renewable Energy Inc.
Japan to Invest $7bn in Mekong Region Over Next 3 Years
Japan is gearing up to invest US$7 billion into the Mekong region, spreading the funding across parts of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.
Vietnamese Education Startup Receives $9m in Funding
Yet another Vietnamese education app is raking in the investment money, as tutoring service GotIt! recently announced US$9 million in seed and series A funding.
Vietnamese, Korean Computer Scientists Invent Webcam Algorithm to Read Your Emotions
One day soon, your mobile game may be able to register your joy, anger and frustration thanks to a creepily accurate webcam algorithm.
World Bank Enlists Grab and Uber to Create Open-Source Traffic-Monitoring Platform
Ever since apps like Grab and Uber came to the country, Vietnam's urban transportation has been turned upside down. On one hand, consumers are thrilled to be paying less for car rides in cities like H...
Work Begins on $4bn Hoi An Resort
Last Sunday, central Vietnam's Quang Nam province began its biggest development project to date.
