Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

An Ode to Lục Bình, Vietnam's Invasive, Destructive, Beautiful Aquatic Jerk

Knotted gnarls of lush stems, leaves, vines; a verdant scrimmage of tangled plant matter kept afloat by buoyant bladders accented by pleats of pink petals that resemble the skirts of ballerinas trapped inside music boxes: the water hyacinth.

in Sports

Saigon Heat Wins Intracity Rivalry Over HCMC Wings, Closing Out VBA Regular Season

Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Local Ox Rampages Airport, Stops Flights, Gets Put in Museum in Huế

Name a famous buffalo.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Behold Vietnam's Oldest Rock, a Memento Mori of Human Insignificance

While lamenting how long it had been since I’d last sent a postcard, a coworker at Saigoneer revealed that she is too young to have ever seen a stamp in person, let alone affixed one to a letter. The fashions I wore in high school have come full circle and are once again in style. New slang terms initially baffle and then enrage me. I read popular music festival fliers without recognizing a single name. 

in Parks & Rec

Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts

“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Saigon-based model train aficionado, shares with me the satisfied feeling every time he gets a mini train to run.

in Architecture

A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet

Who says a single person can't nest?

in Environment

Learning to Coexist in Peace Is the First Step to Protect Vietnam's Last Remaining Elephants

A trail of enormous footprints, criss-crossing slabs of cracked concrete, lead to a battered ranger station in Vietnam’s Pù Mát National Park. Park staff say the wild Asian elephant that left the tracks is as friendly as it is lonely.

in Parks & Rec

In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity and Gender Fluidity Too

“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.

Back Society

Brian Letwin

in Development

A Day in the Life of a Saigon Drainage Worker

As much of Saigon was built on swampland, drainage is vital to the city’s development and progress. Yet with each heavy rain, large swaths of the city become inundated and streets come to resemble sma...

Brian Letwin

in Environment

Environmentalism and Sustainability Gaining Steam in Vietnam

Vietnam is slowly but surely understanding the need for sustainable development and a clean environment. We’ve recently seen the erection of green homes, establishment of green-focused youth clubs and...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Vietnamese Tech Startup of the Month – September Edition: Digi-Gps

Digi-GPS, a local Vietnamese startup, seeks to apply high-technology to our decidedly analog motorbikes. The company has launched two security-minded products to help bike owners feel secure - SmartBi...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Minimalist Nest House in Binh Duong

The Nest house was designed for a middle-aged architecture writer. The house, located on the outskirts of the new city in Thuận An, Binh Duong Province, seeks to blend urbanism with a variety of archi...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Vietnam Set to Become World’s Largest Motorbike Producer

Slowly but surely, Vietnam is becoming the favored location for large scale motorbike manufacturing. If the trend continues, analysts predict that within 10 years, Vietnam will become the global leade...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Why Sustainable Development is Vital For Vietnam's Future

Green building is starting to take off in Vietnam. Over the past few months, we’ve seen a number of ‘green’ homes sprout up across Saigon, using open floor plans, sustainable materials and plants that...

Brian Letwin

in Development

World Startup Report @ Saigon Hub

From the organizer: The World Startup Report is a social project to help understand and connect the different startup ecosystems in the world.

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Free WIFI Coming to Saigon Buses

In a bid to increase the ridership on Saigon’s 270 bus routes, the city will implement free WIFI for passengers.

Brian Letwin

in Development

H&P Completes Bamboo–Earth–Stone Pavilion

Local architects, H&P, have long focused on the use of environmentally-friendly materials for their designs. Earlier this year, they released a set of renderings of low-cost bamboo housing de...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

New Vietnamese Food App Delivers Instant Gratification

Taking advantage of the Vietnamese love of food and photos, Tran Quang Vinh, a former fashion designer, has released iOS app - Foodshot.

Brian Letwin

in Development

Bitexco Tapped to Develop Thu Thiem Urban Area

After years of land clearance delays, lack of investors and stagnation in the real estate market, the Thu Thiem new urban area project may gaining steam as Bitexco has been assigned to manage the proj...

Brian Letwin

in Development

The Coolest House in Binh Thanh? (2)

Green building is slowly but surely gaining popularity in Vietnam. For Saigon in particular, the tropical climate provides many opportunities for design firms to implement efficient, green designs.

Brian Letwin

in Development

The Coolest House in Binh Thanh?

Green building is slowly but surely gaining popularity in Vietnam. For Saigon in particular, the tropical climate provides many opportunities for design firms to implement efficient, green designs.

Brian Letwin

in Development

Construction Restart at Lavenie Crown?

The Lavenie Crown was one of the many victims of Saigon’s real estate crunch. Slated to begin construction in 2012 on the site next to Diamond Plaza, the project came to a halt as the main investor, K...

Brian Letwin

in Development

From French Villas to Slums, Da Lat's Lost Charm

Da Lat, once a sleepy French vacation town, full of ornate villas and majestic pine forests, is in danger of losing what charm still remains. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the city’s pine tr...

Brian Letwin

in Health

HCMC Schools Introducing Balanced Meals to Fight Obesity

McDonalds might not have opened its first Saigon outlet yet, but growing youth obesity rates are already a major public health issue. To combat the epidemic, HCMC schools are instituting standard lunc...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Vietnam Ponders Regulations on Free Chat Apps

Free chat apps such as Viber, Wechat, Whatsapp and Line have become extremely popular in Vietnam. Providing free chat and calls, domestically and internationally, these tools appear on the majority of...

in Tech

Vietnamese Tech Startup of the Month – August Edition

As Vietnamese tech startups gain popularity and increased funding, the potential for growth in this market is massive. TechinAsia, our favorite source for tech-related content in Vietnam, does an exc...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Da Nang Taps IBM to Design Advanced Traffic System

Why is it that Da Nang keeps getting all the cool toys? As if free, city-wide WIFI weren’t enough, the city has signed a deal with IBM to install a high-tech traffic management system.

Brian Letwin

in Development

[UPDATED]Plan to Move Saigon's Electrical Wires Underground Facing Major Delays

[Update Below] In an effort to clear Saigon’s skies, in 2009, city authorities signed off on a plan to move messy electrical wires underground. But the project, scheduled to be completed by 2015, is f...