Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
A Case for the Sweet-and-Sour Tamarind as Saigon's Official Municipal Tree
What is the municipal tree of Saigon? In popular culture, Hanoi is perhaps intricately linked with the paralyzing but often romanticized aroma of hoa sữa, while just over a hundred kilometers to the east, Hải Phòng proudly brandishes the name “the city of red phượng flowers.” Đà Lạt has too many flower varieties to choose just one, and settles for “the city of a thousand flowers.” Down south, Bến Tre’s abundance of coconut trees is famous nationwide. Ask any Saigoneer this question, and you’re likely to get one of two answers: chò nâu (dipterocarp) or me (tamarind).
Requiem for a Bàng Tree That Was Cut Down in Front of My Home
Curiosity drove me downstairs into the downpour. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the municipal workers — clad in orange-and-green uniforms, their clothes soaked — gathering around a crane. Their attention was focused upward. Following their gaze, I looked up, and froze.
How the Ghosts of iPhones Past Haunt Vietnam's Low-Income Communities
The current e-waste crisis in Vietnam is one example of global environmental apartheid.
Keeping Cool in Thủ Đức With This Humble Abode’s Well-Ventilated Design
Thick multi-layer brick walls, shaded areas, water features, and natural ventilation allow this private home to stay cool amidst the city's stifling heat.
Saigon's VOH Radio Building, a Marvel of Architect Lê Văn Lắm's Modernist Intuition
In the middle of the 20th century, Vietnam grew to become one of the world’s prominent centers of modernist architecture. Saigon at the time was an economic and cultural heart of the region, with many official government structures constructed and designed in the style of modernist architecture. They were created with aesthetics and form in mind, laying the groundwork to usher in a new period of growth for Vietnamese creative independence.
Waste-to-Energy Plants Might Be the Remedy for Vietnam's Struggling Landfills
Lam Van Quyet lives three kilometers from the Tây Bắc waste facility in Ho Chi Minh City, but he knows exactly what time the garbage trucks arrive there.
New Proposal Plans Metro Line Linking Long Thành Airport, Thủ Thiêm
Let the paperwork begin!
Modular Shading, Sliding Doors Blur the Line Between Interior, Exterior at Bà Rịa House
Located 130 kilometers from Saigon, this humble housing project in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu is a prime example of living enough rather than living large. Even though the family owns a lot spanning a total area of 1,000 square meters, the house itself only covers 62.8 square meters, utilizing locally available materials and craftsmanship on a budget of US$19,000.
[Video] How Poverty Is Stopping Vietnamese Girls From Obtaining An Education
From doing chores around the house, running a ferry service to harvesting crops, for many young girls in Vietnam, bringing in income for the family trumps education. This video captures the reality of...
Number of Vietnamese Super-Rich Has Increased by 400% Over the Past Decade
A World Bank report released earlier this week found that the number of super-rich, has rapidly increased over the last 10 years. I guess this explains the fugly castle phenomenon.
Brian Letwin in Development
Singapore Apartment Building Sets Record For World’s Largest Vertical Gargen
The new Eximbank Tower may be bringing some much needed greenery to Saigon’s skyline but Singapore’s new Tree House condominium building, which has set a Guinness World Record for largest vertical gar...
Future Saigon: Ton Duc Thang Street
Over the past 20 years, Ton Duc Thang has transformed from a tree-lined street of colonial buildings to a strip of high rise offices and hotels. The stretch along the water is of particular value to d...
Vo Trong Nghia Architects’ Amazing Brick And Bamboo Factory Renovation
Houses and schools aren’t the only tricks Award-winning Vo Trong Nghia Architects have in their bag. Completed late last year, their renovation of Viet Vuong Co. Ltd.’s HCMC garment factory is their s...
Report: Vietnam’s Internet Second Slowest In Asia
Even though internet access is everywhere, from coffee shops to public busses, Vietnam ranks near the very bottom in Asia when it comes to speed.
New $1 Billion Plant Will Allow Samsung To Make Nearly All Its Products In Vietnam
Electronics giant Samsung was recently granted an investment certificate for its new $1 billion screen plant in Bac Ninh. While it brings Samsung’s investment in the country to a whopping $6.85 billio...
PM Orders Removal Of Settlements Along Vietnam’s Train Tracks
The famous scenes of life taking place on Vietnam’s train tracks may soon be a thing of the past now that a plan to remove illegal shops and homes has been approved by the Prime Minister.
[Photos] Who Said Pollution Masks Can’t Be Fashionable?
For the throngs of women across Vietnam who sacrifice fashion for health, there may be a solution.
New Design Competition Seeks To Beautify HCMC
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor for Saigon Makeover, a new design competition for graphic designers, artists and young people at large to share their creative vision of how different parts ...
3 Vietnamese Make “World's Most Influential Scientific Minds” List
3 Vietnamese scientists: Dam Thanh Son, Nguyen Son Binh and Nguyen Xuan Hung, have made Thomson Reuters’ list of the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.
Brian Letwin in Development
[Photos] Future Saigon: The Thu Thiem Financial Center
British design firm, Foster and Partners recently released renderings for Thu Thiem’s financial center and they’re well, dreamy?
DX Mornings 2: Why Your Products Suck @ The Cube
From the organizer: Tony Ho will show us why our products suck and how we can use design to improve user experience.
Vietnamese Bamboo House Design Highlighted At International Architecture Awards
As one of the top 3 countries most vulnerable to natural disasters, living with floods is a difficult reality for many in Vietnam.
Vietnam Climbs English Rankings In Recent Survey
Vietnam is climbing up the ranks of English proficiency based on a recent survey by Education First.
Saigon Mechanics Make Their Own Vespa 946
A group of enterprising welding technicians in District 11 are trying their hand at making their own Vespa 946. This limited edition bike from Piaggio costs about VND349 million in Vietnam and is the ...
Mastercard Brings Card Payment To Ben Thanh Market
Now you can use your credit card to buy fake DVD sets and crappy t-shirts at Ben Thanh Market.
Vietnam’s Coral Reefs On The Brink Of Extinction
Coral reefs around the world have been seriously degraded over the past 20 years and Vietnam’s are no exception. These ecosystems, which are vital to sustaining oceanic biodiversity, are very sensitiv...
[Photos] Thu Duc’s Beautiful M11 House
In a reminder that Vo Trong Nghia Architects isn't the only high-end design game in town, a21studio’s M11 house in Thu Duc District could convince us to move 30 minutes into HCMC’s suburbs.
Brian Letwin in Tech
Battle Of The Taxi Apps: Uber Arrives In Vietnam
As GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi make inroads in brining Vietnam’s personal transportation services into the digital age, one of the sexiest names in the space is getting ready to rev its engine in Saigon.
