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.
Hackers Tap Into Private Vietnamese CCTV Cameras, Put Feeds Online
In a reminder to avoid passwords like “admin” and “12345,” a group of hackers tapped into almost 1,000 Vietnamese private CCTV cameras and put them on the web for all to see.
Future Saigon: Vietcombank Tower
The next big addition to Saigon’s skyline, the Vietcombank Tower, is nearly complete after years of construction.
VNCam App Taps Into Street Cams So You Can Beat The Traffic
If you’re planning to hit the streets of Saigon or Hanoi during rush hour, VNCam, a new traffic tracking app, should be of great assistance.
[Video] New Film Highlights The Father Of Modern Cambodian Architecture
Vietnam and Cambodia have a shared colonial past and have both endured the peaks and valleys of development and war. For both, the 1960s and 70s were periods of modernist architectural innovation, esp...
Petition Against Son Doong Cable Car Has Over 10,000 Signatures
After news broke that a $220 million cable car would be built through portions of Son Doong Cave, the response was overwhelming negative. Many were stunned that a plan, meant to lure troves of tourist...
Uber Launches In Hanoi
The battle of the taxi apps is set to grow fierce in Hanoi with the arrival of Uber.
Apple Set To Officially Enter Vietnamese Market
Instead of opening an official store in Vietnam, Apple has opted to partner with a local retailer to distribute their products in the country.
Vietnamese Smokers Spend $1bn per Year on Cigarettes
Vietnam boasts 16 million smokers who pay VND22 trillion ($1.05 billion) per year to feed their deadly habit. But the actual cost of smoking is compounded by a nearly equal cost in treatment for commo...
Facing Delay, HCMC Pushes To Build Thủ Thiêm Bridge 2 In 2015
The main prerequisite for the large-scale development of Thủ Thiêm is infrastructure - roads, tunnels and bridges that serve as arteries into the new urban area.
GrabTaxi Launches GrabBike, Bringing Xe Ôms Into the Digital Age
With companies such as EasyTaxi, GrabTaxi and Uber, it’s never been easier to summon a car or cab in Saigon. However, xe ôms have been left out of the digital transportation revolution. That is, of co...
[Photos] Behind The Blue Walls: A Look At The Progress Of Saigon’s Pedestrian Promenade
Reddit user, WeAllWantToBeHappy, recently visited a number of spots around District 1 to see what was going on behind the large blue walls where a new pedestrian promenade is currently under construct...
Tim Doling in Development
A Goodbye To Steam At Thái Nguyên Steel Works
Wednesday 22 October 2014 was officially the last day of steam locomotive operations at Thái Nguyên Steel Works. Tim Doling takes a look at the history of this extraordinary industrial plant, which ow...
Authorities Consider Preserving Elements Of Tax Center Following Public Outcry
When news broke in August that Saigon’s historic Tax Center was to be demolished, many experts and locals took to public forums to call for the preservation of certain elements of the building.
Future Saigon: Masteri Thao Dien
To take advantage of the Thao Dien stop on the city’s first metro line, developers are planning to build Masteri, a sprawling mixed-use project which will be integrated with the neighborhood’s above g...
[Photos] The Bomb Recyclers Of Quảng Trị
Quảng Trị holds the terrible honor of being the most contaminated province in Vietnam when it comes to unexploded ordinance left over from the American War.
Stunning Nha Trang Hotel Features Vertical And Indoor Gardens
Nha Trang is a beautiful city but its hotels are typically boring and resemble those found across Vietnam. Despite the name, the recently constructed Hotel Golden Holiday Hotel, designed by Trinhvieta...
[Photos] Massive Flooding Turns HCMC Streets Into Rivers, And It's Just The Beginning
While much of District 1 was able to stay dry on Sunday night, others such as Districts 6 and 11 were not as fortunate as a storm flooded major streets and knocked out power in some areas.
CNN: HCMC Is The World’s Best Emerging City For Startups
CNN recently interviewed Simon Squibb, CEO of Hong Kong-based Nest Investment, who ranked HCMC as the best emerging city for startups.
Vietnamese Demand for Rhino Horn Drops by More Than 33% in 1 Year
Well, here’s some great news for your Friday afternoon.
Hanoi Set To Test Its Bus Rapid Transit System
While Saigon will have to wait until 2018 for its first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, Hanoi will test the first leg of its BRT system in the coming months, reports Vietnam News.
