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.
Thai Retailer Buys Zalora's Vietnam and Thailand Businesses
Earlier this week, Germany-based Rocket Internet announced the sale of its online retailer, Zalora, to Thai giant Central Group.
[Photos] 'Da Nang: COASTAL City' – The Soul of the City
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of Da Nang: COASTAL City, a large-format photo book exploring the urban development, landscapes and people of central Vietnam. Produced with the support of t...
You're Probably Spelling These Saigon Place Names Incorrectly
Several famous location names in Saigon are believed to be misspellings of their original monikers.
[Photos] Vo Trong Nghia Transforms Rest Stop Into Bamboo Oasis
Thirty kilometers from Hanoi, local architect and global sensation Vo Trong Nghia recently completed another project fashioned almost entirely out of bamboo.
[Video] Driverless Pods May Hit Singapore's Streets by Year End
While we can't imagine testing a driverless vehicle in, say, Saigon traffic, the orderly streets of Singapore seem like the perfect place to give self-driving machinery a whirl.
[Photos] Put Your Mind at Ease in Saigon's Zen House
Embodying its name, every element of the Zen House revolves around harmony, mindfulness and originality, making this contemporary structure more a monastery than a home for the three Buddhist owners.
The World Is Down to Fund Vietnamese Startups
In recent years, Vietnam's startups have proven their worth to both the local economy and the global community.
[Video] Hanoi's Pollution Heading Toward Airmaggedon
Urban Vietnam is on a roll these days. What with a new crop of sky-high monuments on the horizon, a thriving startup economy and an ambitious set of plans for the future, cities across the countr...
[Photos] 'Da Nang: COASTAL City' – People in the City
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of Da Nang: COASTAL City, a large-format photo book exploring the urban development, landscapes and people of Central Vietnam. Produced with the su...
As Drought Continues, Mekong Climate Refugees Leave Home
It's no secret that the Mekong Delta is in dire straits. Between hydroelectric dams, drought, sinking land and the region's ever-increasing salinization, farmers in the west are facing heavy losses th...
China Slides 100-Year-Old Building to New Home
China never ceases to exceed our expectations when it comes to buildings. From monster bridge-building machines to the 19-day construction of a 57-story skyscraper to 3D printing a mansion, ...
High School Students Build All-Terrain Wheelchair
Vietnam is not particularly well set-up for handicapped people. With broken sidewalks and uneven terrain even in the most developed cities, getting around can be a challenge for those who are wheelcha...
[Photos] Meet District 2's Floating House
Bringing the concept of a flood-proof nhà sàn – the wooden stilt house most often seen in rural Vietnam – to Saigon's sinking terrain, local outfit Nha Dan Architects managed to create a contempo...
Clean Up Vietnam: Changing the Conversation
There has been much ado in recent years about Vietnam’s garbage problem. From the beaches of Phu Quoc to the forests of the Central Highlands, trash is omnipresent and impossible to ignore. To th...
Meet Ex4U, the Taiwanese Electric Car Coming to Vietnam
A two-seater electric car may soon hit the streets of Vietnam.
[Photos] 'Da Nang: COASTAL City' – Architecture and Housing
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of Da Nang: COASTAL City, a large-format photo book exploring the urban development, landscapes and people of Central Vietnam. Produced with the support...
Sawaco to Build 6 Underground Reservoirs in Saigon
In an effort to protect the southern hub from drought, Saigon Water Company (Sawaco) is working with municipal authorities to create six underground water reservoirs.
Cambodia's Tigers Are 'Functionally Extinct'
Cambodia's tiger population is now “functionally extinct”, according to experts.
[Photos] Saigon Architects Create Charming D7 Wood-and-Concrete Row House
In the last few years, Saigon's architects have come up with some impressive contemporary touches for the city's traditional row houses. Whether adding web-like coverings or a collage o...
Vietnam Could Have Most Cancer Cases Worldwide by 2020: Expert
Registering firmly in the realm of not-so-great news, one expert is estimating Vietnam could have the most cancer cases in the world by 2020.
