How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under construction during our August visit. Gargantuan machines for laying pulverized gravel inched aside to let our 7-seater pass so we could reach the home of Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy to check in on her small fish drying home business.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. Chó cỏ is the general term for the adorable mutts, usually mixes between Vietnam’s native dog species, born without the prestige of named breeds, while gym cỏ and net cỏ denote the casual gyms and internet cafes in one’s neighborhood. In the same vein of logic, may I put forth a new name for a special genre of Vietnamese fruits: trái cỏ?
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples or the ornate regality of Nguyễn-Dynasty palaces. This time-honored style is widely accepted as the hallmark of Vietnam’s cultural wealth. What’s more fascinating but lesser-known is how this cultural vestige — which distinguished our architecture from that of China and Japan — has also managed to evolve in the new age, finding ways to exist right in the middle of our modern lifetime.
Uyên Đỗ in Society
On Grappling With Our Complicated Bond With Single-Use Raincoats
Like many Vietnamese, I have owned more crumpled raincoats than I can count. They're the disposable kind, cinched with a few rubber bands, folded into a misshapen rectangle, then stuffed unceremoniously into a scooter’s under-seat compartment or a desk drawer.
Elise Lương in Architecture
To Teach Children the Importance of Play, First Bring Playgrounds Back to Hanoi
In rapidly developing urban Hanoi, finding engaging outdoor play areas for young children is near impossible. But since 2014, the social enterprise Think Playgrounds has colored public spaces across Vietnam with wildly unique and legitimately sustainable designs, engaging with local communities to give children back their right to play.
As Wind Power Struggles to Thrive in Southeast Asia, Vietnam Leads With Early Momentum
Countries in mainland Southeast Asia have stark differences in renewable energy strategies, balancing them with ample but controversial hydropower and entrenched interests. While solar power has become accessible and cost effective, many of these nations have struggled to make wind power an essential part of renewable energy strategies, despite having locations with high potential. Meanwhile, others have become regional wind power leaders, such as Vietnam. In this explainer, we explore how various mainland Southeast Asian countries are engaging with wind power development.
How a Dance Project Is Reframing Deaf Identity in Saigon via Movement Art
Lắng Nghe Điểm Chạm is a project aiming to expand exposure opportunities and application potentials of performing arts into the life of marginalized and minority communities of Vietnam.
Huge Tourism Complex Featuring Lotus-Shaped Island Proposed for Phú Quốc
The most notable feature of Selavia, an "all-in-one" tourist destination, is a 180-hectare artificial island shaped like a lotus that will stretch into Phú Quốc's Đầm Bay and contain villas, boat...
For VBA Player Nguyễn Phú Hoàng, Family and Health Are What Matters Most
For fans of Vietnam's basketball league, the name Nguyễn Phú Hoàng is most likely a familiar one. The Hanoi-born-and-raised point guard was well-known in the local streetball community long before the...
Whether Apartment, Durian Farm, or Investment Plot, Homebase Makes Home Ownership Possible
In Vietnam, there are plenty of ways to invest, and owning land or an apartment is often towards the top of one’s list. No matter who you are or what motivates you to go down the path of ownership, Ho...
The Weird, Whimsical, Wondrous World of Art Toys in Vietnam
At the end of 1999, Hong Kong artist and designer Michael Lau presented the “Gardener” toy collection, an amalgamation of his interests in G.I. Joe action figures and street culture. The launch is wid...
Vietnam's Undersea Internet Cables Break on Average 10 Times Annually, Experts Say
Vietnam’s internet is inconsistent, but very affordable when compared with regional peers, according to experts at the recent Vietnam Internet Day 2021 conference.
Nano Covax Vaccine Provides 92% Protection Against Severe Covid-19
A domestic vaccine may still see the light of day.
[Photos] At Hanoi's Astronomy Park, an Earth-Bound Journey to the Stars
Vietnam's major cities are infamously short on green space, so any new park is noteworthy — particularly when they are as uniquely designed as the Astronomy Park in Hanoi's western suburbs.
Wallet App MoMo Becomes Unicorn Startup With $200m in New Investment
M-Service, the owner of Vietnam's leading payment app MoMo, raised US$200 million during a Series-E funding round led by Japanese bank Mizuho, resulting in a US$2 billion valuation.
Acrobatic Giang Brothers Shatter Guinness World Record in Stair-Climbing
Next step: finding a practical application.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Cá Chuồn: The Fish That Dreams Beyond Its Realm
Insects, pterosaurs, birds, and bats: flight evolved on Earth independently four times, so why do you think it’s so unlikely that you’ll find love again?
Tản Mạn Kiến Trúc Propels the Architecture Discourse Into the Age of Social Media
Architecture Excursions - Tản Mạn Kiến Trúc is a grassroots media project founded by a group of young Vietnamese who share a simple goal: to shed light on Vietnam’s vast and often undiscussed architec...
Seeking Solace in the Fantastical Adventures of Dungeons and Dragons
Contrary to popular belief, Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just a geeky hobby, to me, it's a form of “group therapy” that is slowly taking shape in Vietnam, bringing fun and memorable bonding moments to t...
[Photos] A Vegetarian Restaurant in Hanoi Conceived Like an Art Space
Has an art exhibition ever made you hungry?
How Foreign Families Continued to Thrive During Lockdown at British Vietnamese International School (BVIS)
“The more diverse you are, the richer your life becomes,” explains Sun-hwa Kwon, whose daughter, So-yul, is in her fifth year at Hanoi’s British Vietnamese International School.
Saigon's Infamous 'Ghost Tower' Has a New Developer
Saigon's most notorious ghost tower appears to have a new lease on life.
Netizens Angered After AFF YouTube Livestream Mutes Vietnam's National Anthem
A faux pas relating to the national anthem before a football match yesterday has angered millions of Vietnamese fans.
[Photos] This Petite Abode Brings Adaptability and Comfort to the Forefront
Big, spacious homes certainly have their appeal, but sometimes all you need is a cozy little abode.
Health Ministry Orders Plans for 3rd Vaccine Shots as Covid-19 Cases Surge
As Vietnam grapples with a resurgence of the novel coronavirus, officials have been asked to plan for booster shots.
[Photos] Đen Đá's Phù Đổng Outlet Sets Itself Apart in a Busy Roundabout
If one is looking for upside in the proliferation of cafe chains across Saigon, we would argue that the more locations there are, the more chances there are for architects to get more creative than yo...
Uyên Đỗ in Natural Selection
Bồ Kết: When Nature Dreams of Bubbles and Silky Hair
The first memory I have of bồ kết was when it was concocted into something completely different from its unassuming, modest self.
