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.
[Photos] New Bridge Cutting Distance From HCMC To Mekong Delta Opens Tomorrow
Starting tomorrow, city travelers will be able to cut their trip to My Tho from 100 kilometres to 25 kilometres, reports Tuoi Tre.
[Photos] Open-Air Cafe Stands Out On Kontum Waterfront
Kontum is not, perhaps, the first place you'd expect to find a piece of modern architecture, but perched on the Dakbla River is the imposing Kontum Indochine Cafe. Designed by award-winning architectu...
[Video] 3-D Animation Spotlights Thu Thiem 2 Bridge
A new video by Sub Zero Animation posted on REIC brings to life the proposed Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, which is set to reach completion in 2018. The bridge will serve as a direct route between District 1's ...
Old Thao Dien Villa Gets A Modern Makeover
Rather than tear down this District 2 villa altogether, MM++ Architects decided to give its concrete frame a makeover using recycled red bricks and steel frame glass windows.
Female Viagra May Be Coming To A Pharmacy Near You
Last week, the Vietnamese Department of Health announced that it would consider circulating a newly-approved drug call Addyi, which treats low sexual desire in women.
Future Saigon: The Sabeco Tower
Sabeco, the Vietnamese beverage company that has a commanding 40% market share of the domestic market, is in the process of trading in its massive warehouse at Me Linh Square for a shiny new skyscrape...
[Photos] Award-Winning Design Links Nha Trang Restaurant And Sea
When D3 Architects came up with this design for a beachside Nha Trang restaurant, they sought to create a structure with a strong connection to its surrounding environment, in this case, the beach. Gi...
Apple, Inc. Plans to Open Subsidiary in Vietnam
Apple seems to have set its sights on the Vietnamese market with reports that the company is gearing up to open a subsidiary in Vietnam.
What Does The Future Hold For Saigon’s Skeleton Tower?
The monolithic Saigon One Tower is the most obvious victim of the city's burst real estate bubble (which looks to be finally recovering). Even though the skeleton of the unfinished US$238 million ...
Construction of Saigon Metro Flyover Above the Hanoi Highway Begins
Work on the above ground section of Saigon's first metro line is in full swing. Along with the construction of a rail bridge across the Saigon River and the installation of concrete girders, ...
Future Saigon: The District 5 Cultural Center
Below are some renderings of a new cultural center designed by HSP International Vietnam and Ardor Architects that will be located at 105 Tran Hung Dao, District 5.
Vietnam Plans To Launch High-Speed Rail Line By 2040
Despite the National Assembly’s opinion that it should be pushed to the back burner, the Transport Ministry is moving ahead with plans for Vietnam’s first high-speed rail line.
[Video] Workers Toss Molten Rivets To Repair Long Bien Bridge
Hanoi’s iconic Long Bien Bridge in the midst of a much-needed renovation to make it safer for pedestrians and drivers. But while one might think that a US$15 million upgrade would be conducted with cu...
Vietnam Moves Ahead With Plans For First Nuclear Power Plant
After years of delays, it looks like plans for Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant are slowly moving forward.
[Photos] Nha4 Architects Designs Flood-Proof Extension For Thai Hoa Home
Given the recent flooding in northern Vietnam, this “flood-proof” house extension seems like a smart addition for many Vietnamese families that face rising waters each rainy season.
[Video] Dirtbiker Glides On Water, Surfs Waves With Custom Bike
When roads across Vietnam transform into rivers during the rainy season, water floods the engines of motorbikes, rendering them useless in the face of the murky currents. At some point, each of these ...
How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Gluten
So you’ve been told that gluten is the antithesis of healthy living. Google searches involving the words “gluten” and “bad” yield thousands of articles branding this highly misunderstood substance as ...
[Renderings] A Look Inside Landmark 81, Vietnam's Future Tallest Skyscraper
In less than three years, the colossal Landmark 81 will rise from what was once a container port next to Saigon Pearl. Once completed, the 461.2 meter structure will be the tallest building in Vietnam...
[Photos] Da Nang Spa Is a Modern-Day Twist on Babylon’s Hanging Gardens
“In this palace he erected very high walks, supported by stone pillars; and by planting what was called a pensile paradise, and replenishing it with all sorts of trees, he rendered the prospect an exa...
Design For Saigon’s Underground Metro Tracks Approved
While the concrete pylons that comprise the above ground portion of Saigon’s first metro have lined the North-South Expressway for years, things are finally ramping up on its subterranean stations.
