Listen to the Unique 'Dialects' Found in Regional Vietnamese Modernist Architecture
“It was my uncle who came up with the design. There are no drawings left; everything was improvised back then,” the owner of a modernist homestay in Ninh Thuận told me. No architect, just an idea and a craftsman to pour it into concrete.
How Overreliance on Pesticides Traps Thai Farmers in a Vicious Circle of Debt
As the sun rises over the village of Ban Wichit Pattana in north-east Thailand, 62-year-old Chuchart Srithachum does his morning exercise, walking as best he can on his prosthetic leg along the street outside his home.
Khôi Phạm in Architecture
Illustration Project 'Con Ốc Nhỏ' Archives Southern Vietnam's Diverse Architectural Facades
Riding a motorbike is the most popular mode of transport in Vietnam. Albeit convenient and fast, being on a bike, merging in and out of the ever-flowing, hurried traffic, might not afford you the slow pace needed to fully appreciate the urban landscapes and their hidden gems. Vietnamese artist Bờm Sketcher, on the other hand, is fully in support of walking as the best way to document the most fascinating corners of local streets onto his pages.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Kiến Ba Khoang: Not an Ant, but a Harbinger of Dread and Divine Punishment
People’s skin erupted with horrific boils that burst open, spilling stinging pus across vicious rashes. According to the Christian Bible, along with water turning to blood, frogs, lice, gnats, diseased livestock, hail, locusts, darkness for three days and the killing of firstborn sons, the boils were one of the plagues God sent down to ancient Egyptians to compel them to free the Israelites.
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.
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.
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.
Mekong Delta Faces Worst Drought in 90 Years
It is not yet the peak of dry season, but the Mekong Delta is experiencing its worst drought in 90 years.
[Photos] We Wish This Audi A8 With Built-in Rice Cooker Existed
We've all been there: it's the end of the day and you're inching your way home through rush hour traffic. When you finally make it to your house, the last thing you want to think about is making dinne...
Vietnam Ranks 131 of 180 Countries on 2016 Environmental Protection Index
Every year, American university Yale releases its Environmental Protection Index (EPI), rating the ability of individual nations to protect both human health and the ecosystem. In 2016, the numbe...
[Video] Can Tho Gets Its First Pedestrian Bridge
Can Tho's brand-new pedestrian bridge opened to residents just in time for Tet.
[Photos] Saigon's Wasp House Is a Tiny Urban Oasis
The many oddly shaped houses of Saigon are, in some ways, an architect's dream: rather than contend with the conformity of gated communities or apartment blocks, architectural minds in this city face ...
Hanoi Metro Will Open in December 2016
By the end of 2016, Hanoi's first metro line will officially be up and running.
ArchDaily Nominates 3 Vietnamese Architects for Building of the Year Awards
Global architecture website ArchDaily is currently hosting its 2016 Building of the Year Awards where, much to our delight, Vietnamese architecture is well-represented. Among its 14 categories, l...
Vietnamese Spend $2bn on Healthcare Overseas
While foreigners are coming to Vietnam for medical tourism, locals are spending US$2 billion a year on healthcare abroad.
Saigon's Tax Center Skyscraper Will Have a Helipad
At the Satra-Tax Plaza's ground-breaking ceremony on January 29, developers of the project announced the roof of the new skyscraper will house a helipad.
Saigon's Hotel Majestic to Get High-Rise Addition
Since last June, Saigontourist Holding Company has resumed expansion of The Majestic, its five-star luxury hotel overlooking the riverfront.
Instant Noodles Linked to Heart Disease, Stroke: Study
As the world's second largest consumer of instant noodles – Vietnam chows down on 5.2 billion packs of the pre-cooked blocks every year – this may be hard news to swallow, but studies show t...
[Photos] Saigon's Studio8 Gets Creative With Q10 Row House
Saigon's buildings come in every configuration imaginable. Whether squeezed into impossibly small spaces or built on misshapen plots of land, the city's tube houses present a unique and interesti...
