in Architecture

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.

in Environment

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.

in Architecture

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.

Back Society

in Environment

Dams, Sand, Rice: The Life and Possible Death of the Mekong Delta

What would Vietnam be without the Mekong Delta?

Michael Tatarski

in Environment

Vietnam's New Nature Reserve, Khe Nuoc Trong, Is a Sign of Hope for Biodiversity

In a move wildlife conservationists are hailing as a victory, Vietnam has established a new nature reserve encompassing critical habitat for numerous species, several of them threatened globally with ...

in Architecture

[Photos] On Phu Quoc Island, Jungle-Tucked Bungalows Bring People Closer to Nature

Concrete jungle < actual jungle.

in Society

Vietnam Ranked 2nd in ASEAN in Efforts to Reduce Inequality: Report

Only Thailand rated higher than Vietnam in the region.

in Development

Hanoi Is Considering Building a Second Airport to the South

To accommodate the capital’s rising demand for air travel, Hanoi officials are considering building a second airport.

in Health

Saigon to Open New 1,000-Bed Oncology Hospital With Helipad Next Month

After years of delay, the second campus of the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital will finally open its doors to patients next month.

in Architecture

[Photos] A Glow-up Turns an Antique Shophouse Into a Hip Creative Space

Who says you can't combine work and play?

in Development

Hanoi Gears up to Start Building Metro Line 5 in 2022

The proposed route would cover 39 kilometers.

in Tech

Vietnam Will Allow Phone Use in Class for Educational Purposes

This doesn't mean students will be able to use Facebook and TikTok during class though.

in Health

US to Open Southeast Asia CDC Office in Hanoi

The office will allow the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to have an increased presence in monitoring, aiding responses to, and learning from health issues, including COVID-19...

in Architecture

[Photos] The Saigon Factory Whose Walls Are Made of Plants

Sign us up for a job here.

in Education

A Teacher’s Perspective on the Importance of Implementing STEAM in the Classroom

The world faces an uncertain future, and the youths of today are the ones that will need to respond to unforeseen challenges.

in Health

Hanoi, Saigon Report Cases of Rare Poisoning Linked to Vegan Pâté

In recent weeks, Vietnam has recorded more than a dozen cases of botulism, a rare and dangerous disease that disables its victims’ nerves, causing paralysis.

in Environment

3 Endangered Langurs Were Released Back Into the Wild in Ninh Binh

The trio of critically endangered Delacour's langurs (voọc mông trắng) had been at a conservation center in Cuc Phuong National Park.

in Tech

Vietnamese Tech Company VNG Sues TikTok for Using Zing Music Illegally

The lawsuit is related to alleged copyright infringement.

in Tech

New Decree Imposes up to VND100m Penalty on Spam Texts, Calls

Will this stop the barrage of real estate and online game solicitations attacking our inboxes?

in Development

Vietnam Plans Can Tho-Ca Mau Expressway to Improve Mekong Delta Traffic

The 130-kilometer-long highway would connect the two Mekong Delta cities by 2025.

in Development

Plans to Build Hotel Complex on Da Lat's Đồi Dinh Opposed by Experts

Da Lat authorities are moving forward with a master plan to redesign the city’s central area, but the project has been controversial from the start.

in Architecture

Eco-Kindergarten in Vinh Recognized by Australian Architecture Awards

Designing a highly stylized and functional school not only provides kids with a conducive learning environment, it also wins international attention.

in Health

Vietnam's Healthcare Workers Infected With Covid-19 to Receive VND10m

The funds will go toward healthcare workers who get infected with the novel coronavirus.