Listen to the Unique 'Dialects' Found in Regional Vietnamese Modernist Architecture
“It was my uncle who came up with the design. There are no drawings left; everything was improvised back then,” the owner of a modernist homestay in Ninh Thuận told me. No architect, just an idea and a craftsman to pour it into concrete.
How Overreliance on Pesticides Traps Thai Farmers in a Vicious Circle of Debt
As the sun rises over the village of Ban Wichit Pattana in north-east Thailand, 62-year-old Chuchart Srithachum does his morning exercise, walking as best he can on his prosthetic leg along the street outside his home.
Khôi Phạm in Architecture
Illustration Project 'Con Ốc Nhỏ' Archives Southern Vietnam's Diverse Architectural Facades
Riding a motorbike is the most popular mode of transport in Vietnam. Albeit convenient and fast, being on a bike, merging in and out of the ever-flowing, hurried traffic, might not afford you the slow pace needed to fully appreciate the urban landscapes and their hidden gems. Vietnamese artist Bờm Sketcher, on the other hand, is fully in support of walking as the best way to document the most fascinating corners of local streets onto his pages.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Kiến Ba Khoang: Not an Ant, but a Harbinger of Dread and Divine Punishment
People’s skin erupted with horrific boils that burst open, spilling stinging pus across vicious rashes. According to the Christian Bible, along with water turning to blood, frogs, lice, gnats, diseased livestock, hail, locusts, darkness for three days and the killing of firstborn sons, the boils were one of the plagues God sent down to ancient Egyptians to compel them to free the Israelites.
Khôi Phạm in Tech
Review: Horror Game 'Tai Ương' Exposes the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Our Culture
Natural disasters, illnesses, accidents, breakages, or even deaths: when a series of consecutive tragedies engulf a family, it’s often said that tai ương has befallen the unfornate victims. The term is also the name of a recently published Vietnamese horror game that has been making waves amongst gaming communities both nationwide and internationally, thanks to its layered narrative, chilling atmosphere, and meticulously crafted game environment.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
WildAct's Trang Nguyễn Turns to Social Media to Inspire a New Generation to Love Nature
Dr. Trang Nguyễn — a wildlife conservation scientist with a PhD from Cambridge and the founder of WildAct — needs little introduction. She has been recognized as one of Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30, called a conservation “hero” by Sir David Attenborough on BBC’s Planet Earth III, and had her inspiring story, which includes going undercover to bring down illegal ivory poaching rings in Africa after surviving cancer, covered widely. But much of her work has been behind the scenes or at least in corners devoted to conservations. Her recent arrival on the social media scene, amongst memes, music videos, and TikTok challenges, represents a shift in approach.
Phạm Phú Vinh in Architecture
Vietnamese Vernacular Modernism Is a Local Language Created by the Ordinary People
In the history of architecture, rarely have we seen such a challenging movement as Vietnamese modernism. Not only does it show how a culture evolves and expresses itself across historical epochs through its building practice, from the traditional to colonial and eventually modern period, but the language of Vietnamese vernacular modernism also reveals deeper understandings of human creative potential.
How Saigon's V.A.R Building Epitomizes Vietnam's Architectural Autonomy
Completed in 1973, the V.A.R building at 9 Nguyễn Công Trứ Street in Nguyễn Thái Binh Ward, District 1, is a prominent example of Vietnamese mid-20th-century modernist architecture designed by architect Lê Văn Lắm. It not only represents the Vietnamese architectural identity in post-colonial eras, but also exemplifies its cultural autonomy.
3 Reasons Why Wind Power Has A Strong Future In Vietnam
Not long ago, I traveled to Vietnam’s countryside, mainly in the Mekong Delta provinces. Along the way, I stumbled upon a number of churning wind turbines, showing that the Vietnamese people are becom...
Prime Minister Signs Off On Phan Thiet Airport
Saigon might not be the only one who’s getting a shiny new airport.
Young H’mong Boy Steals The Show At Sapa Mountain Marathon
The second Vietnam Mountain Marathon took place over the weekend of 20-21 September, with almost 400 runners from 40 nations descending on the mountains of Sapa to take on trails of 10, 21, 42 and a m...
Tân Bình Market Set To Be Demolished, Rebuilt
Despite protests from traders, The administration of Ho Chi Minh City’s Tân Bình District plans to move forward with a plan to replace the 50-year-old Tân Bình Market with “a six-story traditional, ci...
Traffic Jams Cost HCMC $1.2bn Each Year: Expert
We knew traffic was getting worse in HCMC, but we had no idea it was this expensive.
Vietnam Pushes Back Construction Of First Nuclear Power Plant
At a meeting of the Science, Technology, and Environmental Committee of the National Assembly last Thursday, Deputy Trade Minister Cao Quoc Hung said that the construction of Vietnam’s first nuclear p...
iPhone 6 Arrives In Hanoi With VND40 Million Price Tag
The new iPhones have arrived in Vietnam, Apple’s hottest market, with some pretty hefty price tags.
Detailed Map Of The Entire HCMC Metro System
Saigon’s Bến Thành–Suối Tiên metro line is something of a teaser, the first of 6 that will serve the sprawling metropolis. While it's hard to say how accurate it is given a lack of official infor...
HCMC Moves To Cut Plastic Bag Use
Following in the footsteps of other large cities around the world, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is pushing HCMC to reduce its reliance on plastic bags, reports Vietnam News.
Future Saigon: Thủ Thiêm’s Đại Quang Minh Project
The Đại Quang Minh Real Estate Corporation’s project in Thủ Thiêm is a mixed development of high-rise apartment buildings and villas that will include schools, shopping centers, cinemas, sports center...
[Video] Take A Virtual Ride On Saigon’s First Metro
Saigon’s metro system won’t be inaugurated for another 4 years or so, but while you wait, take a virtual ride on the Bến Thành–Suối Tiên line.
Brian Letwin in Architecture
[Photos] A Look At The Bygone Era Of “New” Cambodian Architecture
In the 1950s and 60s, Cambodia was developing a unique architectural style, one which blended aspects of the Modern Movement with traditional features found at Angkor. This movement, known as “New Khm...
Nguyen Hue Street To Add Massive Pedestrian-Only Promenade
It may be hard to believe given the current state of the area, but Nguyen Hue Street’s future is paved with granite sidewalks, 3D art and electric trams.
2 Slim Vietnamese Homes Featured In British Architecture Magazine
2 Vietnamese homes designed by Vietnamese architects have made Deezen Magazine’s list of “10 Super Skinny Houses.”
Saigon’s Bus Rapid Transit System Set To Launch In 2018
Along with a new metro, Saigon has launched a project to build a $155 million, 6-line bus rapid transit (BRT) system, with the first to be completed by 2018.
Final Trials Find Dengue Vaccine to Be Highly Effective
Death from dengue fever, which plagues Vietnam and other tropical regions across the globe, may soon be a thing of the past after French drug maker, Sanofi, announced that it had achieved high su...
[Photos] Inside Thu Thiem’s $87 Million Park
Perhaps Ho Chi Minh City has figured out a way to spark part of its long-stalled Thu Thiem Urban Area project – trade land in exchange for development and infrastructure.
BBGV 14th Annual Fun Run For Charity
BBGV Annual Fun Run for Charity is an event which allows you to have fun with your fellow co-workers, friends and family but also participate in something which raises money for disadvantaged people t...
Vietnam Proposes Ban On Sidewalk Alcohol Sales
A new draft decree from the Ministry of Industry and Trade that proposes a ban on sidewalk alcohol sales has come under scrutiny for being “ill-conceived and unfeasible,” according to Thanh Nien.
HCMC Authorities Push To Fast Track New Airport
With increased air traffic and pressure to accommodate more flights, HCMC authorities are pushing hard to fast track approval for the $10 billion Long Thanh Airport project, reports TTR Weekly.
