in Environment

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.

in Environment

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.

in Architecture

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.

in Architecture

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.

in Environment

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.

in Development

New Proposal Plans Metro Line Linking Long Thành Airport, Thủ Thiêm

Let the paperwork begin!

in Architecture

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.

in Natural Selection

Is Dã Tràng Vietnam's Cutest Sand Artist or a Folk Symbol of Fruitless Pursuits?

Strolling along Vietnam’s beaches when the tides are low, one might encounter a number of whimsical patterns created by countless sand pellets. These are the works of a tiny species of crustacean called dã tràng. Not only are these little crabs fascinating, thanks to their sand-sieving mechanism, which is how they obtain food, but they are also the subject of an intriguing folktale that often leaves readers pondering its philosophical implications. 

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in Health

Color Me Run @ Phu My Hung

From the organizer: Color Me Run is a unique combination of the most colorful run and music festival. For the first time in Vietnam, you can fully experience a 5Km colorful of running, walking and enj...

in Development

[Slideshow] Views from Sunrise City Tower: Massive Suburbanization in District 7

These photos were taken from Sunrise City, a high-rise tower in the new urban area located within District 7 opposite Lotte Mart. Still under construction, Sunrise City will consist of 14 high-rise to...

in Health

Bill Gates to Launch 'Vietnam Health Fund': Report

According to VietNamNet, citing VNEconomy, former Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates will start a match-based healthcare fund in Vietnam, following similar initiatives in other SE Asian nations.

in Environment

New Species: Multi-Colored, Spiked Frog Discovered in Central Vietnam

Even as pollution and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly severe in Vietnam, there are still huge pockets of the country that offer unique biodiversity with new species being discovere...

in Development

Harvard Prof: Vietnam Could See 13.6% GDP Growth by 2025

In what would only be described as a dream come true for Vietnamese economists and politicians, a Harvard professor, speaking at a conference in Hanoi last week, said that the country could experience...

in Health

After 5 Years, Boy Finally Has Battery Removed from Nose

Doctors in central Vietnam treated a 10-year-old boy in Tam Tri Da Nang General Hospital earlier this week for emitting “unpleasant odors” from his nose, according to Tuoi Tre.

in Tech

Can Vietnam Inspire a New Generation of Mobile Games?

Recently, Vietnam’s mobile gaming industry was in the global spotlight thanks to Flappy Bird which had over 50 million downloads before being taken down by its creator, Dong Nguyen. Flappy Bird highli...

in Development

[Slideshow] Rooftop Views from Saigon Pearl's Ruby Tower

Since you folks seem to love pictures taken from high vantage points in Saigon (so do we!) Michael Waibel, editor of the TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City photo book, supplied us with a fresh set, captured f...

in Development

Binh Thanh House Wins ArchDaily's 'House of the Year' Award

Green and sustainable buildings are still in their infancy in Vietnam. However the trend is becoming more popular and slowly but surely, Vietnamese architects are entering this arena with great succes...

in Development

Vietnam Airlines (Finally) Announces IPO Date

Well, that only took 7 years. According to Vietnam Investment Review, Vietnam Airlines has finally announced its official IPO for this September.

in Health

Vietnamese Consumers Turn to the Internet for Safe Produce

Farmers in Vietnam are using an increasing amount of pesticides to boost productivity and meet food security targets. As Vietnamese consumers become increasingly wary about the safety of produce in th...

in Development

[Slideshow] Amazing Views from the City Garden Apartment Towers

The City Garden Towers luxury condominium apartment complex is located in Binh Thanh District within the midst of a seemingly endless maze of the typical low-rise high-density buildings and small bodi...

in Development

US, EU Approve $1 Billion Aid Package for Vietnam

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union (EU) have pledged up to $1 billion over the next 6 years to help Vietnam improve state governance, healthcare, social welfa...

in Development

Report: Growth of Vietnam’s Ultra-Wealthy Fastest in the World

When Vietnam adopted a free-market(ish) economy in the mid-1990s, it experienced an influx of wealth unlike the country had ever seen. In turn, a substantial wealthy class has taken shape as evidenced...

in Tech

Why Bitcoin Matters in Vietnam - Part 3

This is the final part of our 3 part series on Bitcoin in Vietnam. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

in Development

Saigon’s Airport Dilemma: Part 2

This is Part 2 in our series, “Saigon’s Airport Dilemma.” To read Part 1, click here. There are 2 competing solution to Saigon’s airport dilemma – build Long Thanh or expand Tan Son Nhat, with each p...

in Development

Vietnam Exports See Massive Growth as Neighbors Lag Behind

There are plenty of issues facing Vietnam’s economy – bad debt, over-reliance on FDI and weak consumer demand. But according to the Wall Street Journal, Vietnamese exports are enjoying tremendous grow...

in Tech

‘Flappy Bird’ Maker Ranked One of the World’s Most Influential App Developers

He’s probably sitting in his room, cursing them for it, but Dong Nguyen of ‘Flappy Bird’ fame has made Business Insider’s list of “the world’s 11 most influential people working in apps.”

in Development

Future Saigon: Renderings of the Majestic Hotel Expansion

Downtown Saigon is riddled with empty lots where plans for massive developments have stalled in the wake of the downturn in Vietnam’s property market. In addition to new construction, plans for "upgra...

in Development

Saigon's Airport Dilemma: Part 1

Tan Son Nhat began its life as a French military landing strip in the early 1930s. Since its construction, Saigon’s main airport has evolved from a buzzing military base (during the American War) to V...