'Slow/ed/ing Architecture': When Architects Ruminate on Architecture Together
The super cute duo that make up the design studio “Exutoire” are Bùi Quý Sơn and Paul-Antoine Lucas. Life and work partners, they moved back(ish) to Vietnam from Oslo last year, and are currently preparing the opening of the exhibition “OUTLET: Slow/ed/ing Architecture” in Saigon.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
An Octopus? In My Cà Mau Swamp? It's More Likely Than You Think.
Worms live in the ground, birds live in the air, cá lóc live in lakes and octopuses live in the ocean, right? Wrong! Octopus can also live in the river.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
In Awe of the Mekong Delta's Majestic Sluice Gates
A row of impenetrable watchtowers tasked with inflicting ruthless law and order upon a dystopian borderland seething with marauders, bandits and brigands? No. Sluice gates.
A New Company Headquarters Brings a Green Respite to Industrial Đồng Nai
Hammocks, koi ponds and mature trees are not typically associated with industrial parks.
Paul Christiansen in Architecture
The Pedestrian Bridge That Teaches You the Values of Patience
“We need the sweet pain of anticipation to tell us we are really alive.”
Honda to Cease Production of Super Cub 50cc, Vietnam's Beloved Bike, in November
By the end of 2025, Honda will cease the manufacturing of all motorbikes with 50cc engines, including the beloved 50cc Super Cub, to comply with stricter emission standards.
The Unhinged Genius of the Caty Dragon Fruit Noodles Meme
- Dragon fruit has existed in Vietnam for hundreds of years, but it wasn't until the 21st century that it made its debut in instant noodles.
Sấu Ushers in a Hanoian Summer of Sweet-and-Sour Nostalgia
A former coworker called me to playfully nag me about my previous plan to visit Hanoi: “Are you waiting for all the sấu to drop before making a move?”
Brian Letwin in Tech
E-commerce Sales to Hit $1.3 Billion by 2015
VECITA, the Vietnam E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency, released a report last week which revealed that Vietnam’s e-commerce sales will hit $700 million by the end of 2012 and $1.3 billion b...
Brian Letwin in Development
Call for Submissions: Ho Chi Minh MEGA City
If you love Saigon, it’s time to grab your camera and take some shots of the city! The photo book, “TP. Ho Chi Minh MEGA City,” is currently being assembled and the authors are seeking submissions. C...
Brian Letwin in Development
Saigon Announces Plan for Waterway Development
Well, Saigon is really trying to cover all the bases for its 2020 rebirth. Another massive project has been proposed to redevelop Saigon’s 1,000km of rivers and canals at a cost of more than $500 mill...
Brian Letwin in Development
Vietnam to Invest $287 million in a Taller, Stronger Population
It seems like everyone wants to be a little bit taller (and a baller) these days. A recent report revealed that Vietnam’s neighbors are not only taller, but enjoy a faster growth speed amongst their p...
Big Changes for Online Advertising in Vietnam
For Google staff, today should prove to be slightly more relaxing following a week of big announcements. For many of them, the week started with a cup of coffee at the annual I/O developer conference ...
Brian Letwin in Development
City Center Overhaul to be "Harmonious"
For those skeptical about the recently announced changes to the city center, Nguyen Trong Hoa - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Development Studies and one of the plan’s authors – explai...
Brian Letwin in Development
Airport for Mui Ne in the Works
Saigon might not be the only one who’s getting a shiny new airport - developers have submitted plans to the Phan Thiet central government to construct a $270 million regional airport. Russians, rejoic...
Brian Letwin in Development
How Saigon Plans to Avoid the 'Car Age'
“A developed city is not one in which the poor get around by car but one in which the rich get around by public transit” - Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogotá. It seems like every time I’m stall...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Vietnam Delays Introduction of 4G Service
Even as Vietnam becomes increasing connected by mobile devices, don’t expect 4G service any time soon. According to Vietnam News, the government wants to maximize the existing investments made by...
Asia's Social Media Boom
A macro-economic expert could view social media as a good economic development indicator. Social media fever is fading a bit in the US after the mini-bubble, encouraged by the highly criticized purcha...
Brian Letwin in Development
Massive Changes Approved for Saigon's City Center
Sometimes wishes do come true. The city government has approved a plan that will completely redefine the layout and borders of Saigon's city center. The highlight of the plan will see the conversion o...
Brian Letwin in Development
As Thu Thiem Stalls, City Rushes to Lure Investors
Development of Thu Thiem was supposed to be the crown jewel of Saigon’s urban expansion. Since 1996, plans have been in place to turn this green swath of land, directly across from District 1, into th...
Brian Letwin in Tech
"Fucking Ugly" Websites Plague Vietnam
Design is subjective; ‘good’ design changes by region, city and individual. Design elements that may seem antiquated to one, may be fresh or reinvented by another so we try not to judge - except when ...
Brian Letwin in Health
Forget Motorbikes. Smoking is Vietnam's #1 Killer
No matter where you’re from, smoking cigarettes is a killer. While Vietnam has started to feel the effects of this long-ignored but serious public health issue, perhaps a recent report from the Ho Chi...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Could This Vietnamese Startup Overtake Dropbox?
Dropbox has long been the biggest player in the cloud storage game, but this may soon change. Local startup, Kleii, has just secured its first round of seed funding and has its eyes on the internation...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Apple Returns Millions of Substandard iPhones to Foxconn
According to sources in a China Business report, Apple has returned up to 8 million iPhones to manufacturer, Foxconn, on the grounds that they were not fit or sale. The gaffe could not only result in ...
Brian Letwin in Development
The Ghost Town of Thu Thiem
As we’ve written about before, there are big plans to re-develop Thu Thiem into Saigon’s new business and finance center. For the last few years, the city has demolished entire neighborhoods to clear ...
Brian Letwin in Tech
With $100 Million in the Bank, CocCoc Looks to Unseat Google in Vietnam
There’s no doubt that Google is the global leader in search engines, owning a 67.5% global market share. But if the tech behemoth has one 'chink in the armor', it’s the inability to effectively h...
Brian Letwin in Development
Massive Transportation Plan for Saigon Revealed
We’ve heard a lot over the last few years about proposed improvements to Saigon’s transportation infrastructure. These include the new Long Thanh International Airport and expanding the city center in...
Brian Letwin in Development
Pullman Saigon Center Tops Out
The concrete skeleton at the corner of Tran Hung Dao and Nguyen Cu Trinh topped out just before Tet and is set to open later this year.
