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.
Medical Musings: Would You Like A Side Of Arsenic With That Rice?
In the last several years, there has been some talk about various chemicals found in the food supply here in Vietnam. You may remember bleach in bún and coconuts, MSG in everything, antibiotics in pou...
Interview With the Author of the 'Ha Noi: CAPITAL City' Photo Book
Following the successful release of their photo book which chronicled urban development in Ho Chi Minh City last year, Michael Waibel and Henning Hilbert are back with a similar en...
Vietnam Delays Launch Of 4G Until 2016
Though many have agreed that 2015 is the “prime time” for Vietnam to launch its 4G services, the country’s deputy minister of information and communications announced last Thursday that licenses for t...
[Photos] Every Corner Of This D7 Home Was Designed For Relaxation And Meditation
The 3x10 House, designed by DD concept, can be found in District 7. Built on a 3×10 square meter plot, the small space forced the architects to "carefully consider the conflicts be...
15 Projects That Will Change Saigon Forever: Part 3
The area between Bến Thành Market and the Saigon Opera House is undeniably the epicenter of changes to the city’s urban fabric with the construction of pedestrian promenades, subway stations, a new ad...
Vietnamese Car Sales Skyrocketing In 2015
If you’ve been noticing more cars clogging the streets on your daily commute, you’re not imagining things.
[Video] Chinese Company Builds 57-Story Skyscraper in 19 Days
When one talks about the pace of construction in Vietnam, many would liken it to watching paint dry. Due to a plethora of reasons, many buildings remain partially built (e.g. the building at Ham Nghi ...
Vietnam to Get Its First Solar Power Plant
EVN is partnering up with a Russian energy company to construct the country’s first solar power plant.
South Korean Investor Puts In US$5 Billion Bid To Redevelop Saigon's Ba Son Shipyard
The sprawling Ba Son Shipyard that occupies a large swath of prime real estate along the banks of the Saigon River may soon be redeveloped into a mixed-use complex.
Google Translate Asks Vietnamese To Help Improve Its Accuracy
If you’ve ever needed to use Google Translate to Vietnamese, you know that it’s not always the most accurate. While it can be said that this is an issue for many of the languages available in the serv...
Uproar As Province Lets Developer Fill In Vietnam’s Largest River
The Dong Nai River is the main water source for 20 million people in Southern Vietnam. It’s no surprise then that experts have “slammed” local authorities for giving a property developer the go-ahead ...
[Infographic] How Vietnam’s New Broadcast Tower Stacks Up Against The World’s Tallest
Vietnam Television Station (VTV), the State Capital and Investment Corporation and BRG Corporation have officially announced their cooperation on the construction of the world’s tallest broadcasting t...
Chinese Company Proposes Rail Link Between Saigon and Phnom Penh
In yet another plan that would change the face of rail in Vietnam, a Chinese firm has proposed the construction of a new international railway line that would span the Mekong Delta.
15 Projects That Will Change Saigon Forever: Part 2
The area between Bến Thành Market and the Saigon Opera House is undeniably the epicenter of changes to the city’s urban fabric with the construction of pedestrian promenades, subway stations, a new ad...
Vietnam to Get High Speed Trains That Can Reach 350kph
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved plans for a massive overhaul of Vietnam’s rail network over the next 35 years.
Medical Musings: Beware Of Fake Alcohol In Vietnam
Vietnam drinks a lot of alcohol. In fact, it tops the list in Southeast Asia at nearly 3 billion liters yearly. While beer is the alcoholic beverage of choice for many, spirits are also a popular opti...
The 10 Tallest Buildings In Vietnam
After hearing that Hanoi is planning to build the world’s largest broadcast tower, it got us wondering – what are the tallest buildings in Vietnam?
Launching Event: “Hà Nội: CAPITAL City” & TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City" Photo Books
Following the successful release of their photo book which chronicled urban development in Ho Chi Minh City last year, Michael Waibel and Henning Hilbert are back with a similar en...
Lotte, Japanese Firms Partner up on $2bn Eco Smart City in D2
Perhaps the development of Thu Thiem is finally underway with the announcement that South Korean multinational Lotte will team up with two Japanese developers on a US$2 billion mega project in the pen...
Fake Fanpages Of Vietnamese Politicians Flood Facebook
As some Vietnamese politicians embrace Facebook, others have been a bit slower to adopt it. However, many in the latter group are already represented on the social network with fake Fanpages.
