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.
New Restaurant Brings Hanoi’s Street Life And Trees Indoors
Hanoi’s Cheering Beer Club/Restaurant, designed by H&P Architects, aims to blur the boundary between inside and out by creating a dialogue between contemporary architecture and the surrounding env...
China Just 3D-Printed an Entire Mansion
Luxury LegoLand just got real. Chinese construction company, Winsun, revealed their largest 3D printed houses produced to date earlier this month in the eastern city of Suzhou, reports TechinAsia...
Rooftop Aquaponic Systems Bring Sustainable Urban Farming To Saigon
District 12 farmer, Nguyễn Ngọc Khuyến, has adopted a brilliant system to make urban farming more accessible to those with limited spaces.
HCMC Pledges To Speed Up Construction Of Metro Lines
At a news conference on Monday, the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board said that it was speeding up construction on metro routes 1, 2 and 5.
Prime Minister Approves Plan For Phu Quoc Casino
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved plans for an entertainment complex along with a casino to be built in the southern island of Phú Quốc.
New Mega Development in the Works for Hanoi’s West Lake
Hanoi is gearing up for a new mega development that will house 24,300 people and stretch across three districts.
Tim Doling in Development
Design Competition For Saigon's New Administrative Building Kicks Off
Over the weekend, Hồ Chí Minh City residents were given the opportunity to view 11 shortlisted designs for the new City People's Committee Administration Building and to vote for the scheme they felt ...
Saigon Xưa: Breaking Down The Architecture Of Old Saigon
Lê Hưng Trọng, creator of the upcoming illustration book about the architectural aesthetics of old Saigon, “Saigon Xưa”, talked to us about the varying styles of houses across the city.
'Gentle House' Taps Traditional Vietnamese Architecture for Modern Inspiration
Blending the natural environment and modern construction, in 2012, Ngoc Luong Le Architects created the gentle house, a home on Hanoi’s outskirts that combines modern and traditional design elements t...
How Fat Are Vietnamese Compared to the Rest of the World?
On a global scale, Vietnam fits into the low risk bucket when it comes to obesity rates with the medical condition afflicting less than 5% of the population.
[Infographic] An Illustrated Guide to Saigon’s Metro System
A few weeks back, Tuoi Tre put together an elaborate infographic laying out the plans for Saigon’s metro system. Figuring that a few of our readers aren’t 100% fluent in Vietnamese, we took the time t...
Police Bust Producer for 'Coffee' Made With 90% Corn, Chemicals
Confirming rumors about the poor quality of some Vietnamese coffee, on January 19, Buôn Mê Thuột Police conducted a search of a local coffee processing plant and uncovered almost 500 kilograms of corn...
Vietnam’s Internet Among Slowest In Asia-Pacific Region
Even before Vietnam’s undersea cable ruptured earlier this month, the country’s internet connection speeds ranked near the bottom in the Asia-Pacific region.
Vietnam Airlines May Start Offering Free WIFI On Domestic Flights This Year
It looks like Vietnam Airlines is finally getting on the WIFI bandwagon with the company announcing that the service would be making its debut on its aircraft this May.
Construction Of Thủ Thiêm Bridge 2 To Begin In February
It looks like the HCMC People’s Committee’s has gotten its wish as its vice chairman announced last week that construction of the Thủ Thiêm Bridge 2 will move ahead next month.
Actual Road to Replace Drainage Pipe Shortcut In The Mekong Delta
In the past 4 years along a stretch Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong expressway in the Mekong province of Ten Giang, many residents have been using a drainage tunnel under the highway as a shortcut. ...
Construction Begins On HCMC's Second Metro Line
As work on HCMC's first metro line steadily moves along, construction on the city’s Urban Railway Line 2 project broke ground in District 12 yesterday.
Parkson's Luxury Shopping Centers In Saigon Deserted
Walk into one of the six Parkson shopping centers in Saigon, and it’s likely you’ll be one of a few people walking through a deserted shrine to commerce.
Once Filled With Shrimp And Fish, HCMC Canal Now An Environmental Disaster
At the center of HCMC's modernization plans have been massive upgrades to the city’s canals. Some, like the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe, have received international press for their miraculous turnarounds. Ho...
New Coalimex Building Brings Sleek Architecture To Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Coalimex has set up shop in Hanoi’s Old Quarter with a sleek new building boasting sustainable and green design characteristics.
