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.
[Renderings] The Hamptons Are Coming to Ho Tram
Saigon city dwellers can soon look forward to a Hamptons-style holiday, as a Vietnamese rendition of the famed American destination is set to reach completion in 2018.
500 Startups Launches $10m Microfund in Vietnam
As of last week, 500 Startups is open for business in Vietnam.
Studio8 Architects Win Contract to Design Khai Tower in PMH
After beating out 15 other competitors, local architecture firm Studio8 has won the contract to design District 7's newest ultra-modern office building.
Urban Vietnam Reckons With Its Air Quality Dilemma
There's a lot going on in the world of Vietnamese air quality these days. From Hanoi reaching Beijing-level pollution earlier this month to Saigon getting its first publicly accessible real-time air q...
Saigon Planning Underground City Beneath Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market, tourist shopping hub and icon of old Saigon, may one day have some competition beneath its feet.
A Vietnam-Laos Railway Could Be on the Horizon
Late last month, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong announced the launch of a feasibility study which will explore the possibility of a railway connecting Vientiane with coastal Vung Ang in...
[Video] Shanghai Tower Timelapse Packs 4 Years of Work Into 3 Minutes
When construction of China's Shanghai Tower began in 2009, filmmaker Joe Nafis made it his mission to capture the structure's rise above the rest of the city skyline.
Saigon Children's Shelter Struggles to Stay Open
Everyday is a new challenge for the Green Bamboo Warm Shelter, a non-governmental organization which assists former street boys aged eight to 16.
[Photos] Vietnam's Folded Roof House: The Epitome of Cool
Thirty kilometers northwest of Hanoi lies TOOB STUDIO's Folded Roof House, a two-story structure whose location away from the downtown urban center allows for a little more breathing room than th...
[Photos] Join Vietnam's Fanciest Gym for Just $24,000 a Year
Though it takes some willpower to get there, nothing beats a trip to the gym. You work out, you unwind in the sauna, you take advantage of the free shampoo, and by the time it's all over, you leave fe...
Thailand Is Closing Its Controversial Tiger Temple
Thailand's controversial Tiger Temple is set to close down as a tourist attraction, as local authorities are now removing animals from the facility.
Vietnam Is Getting a Pro Basketball League
For Vietnamese hoopsters, “a league of their own” will soon be more than just a movie starring Tom Hanks and Madonna.
Construction Begins on Hanoi-Sapa Highway Upgrade
On February 27, work began on an infrastructure project which will upgrade the existing roadway between Hanoi and Sapa.
[Photos] Vinhomes Central Park Rises From the Dust
While some of the city's construction projects are lagging – see, for instance, the skeletal riverside tower at the end of Ton Duc Thang – Vinhomes Central Park has breezed ahead, rising by the d...
7 Young Vietnamese Make Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia Lists
Seven rising Vietnamese stars in media and business have earned a place on Forbes’ first-ever 30 Under 30 Asia list.
City Officials Approve Phase One Design of $2.4m Administrative Building
On February 27, city officials approved the design for phase one of Saigon's new administrative building.
Not Everyone Loves the Record-Breaking Hanoi Broadcast Tower
As Hanoi moves ahead with a plan to construct the world's tallest broadcast tower, not everyone is thrilled about the project, following last week's announcement of the 636-meter structure's approxima...
[Photos] A Vietnamese Townhouse’s Natural Rebirth
Standing out from other identical row houses on the street, an old brick residential unit known as the Cocoon House has emerged with its own unique, porous facade.
Vietnamese Travel Startup Triip Gets $500k in Seed Funding
Triip, a Saigon-based travel platform, is the latest Vietnamese startup to receive international funding after the company announced last week it had secured US$500,000 in seed funding from Shanghai’s...
[Renderings] Hanoi to Trade Open Fields for Riverside Development Complex
On the eastern bank of the Red River, Hanoi's open fields are about to make way for a high-end real estate development in Long Bien District.
