A lack of public spaces and activities has been a chronic problem plaguing Saigon’s urban planning since the city experienced its first population boom a few decades ago. If you happen to be near District 7 in the next two months, a pop-up park could be a new option for children, and perhaps some particularly exuberant adults, to frolic in the rain and the evening.
The temporary park installation project is simply called Night Park, or Công Viên Đêm in Vietnamese, designed by Saigon-based architecture firm Studio Anettai. Based in P2 Park of Tân Hưng Ward, the amenity is free to visit from 3pm to 8pm every day, September 4–November 1, 2026.
The creation of the project takes inspiration from Saigon’s tropical rain, which dominates the local climate every year during the six-month rainy season. Older Saigoneers remember the bouts of rain during their childhood fondly as a great opportunity to play around in the rain with neighborhood friends — a luxury that children growing up in the busy 2020s might not have.
The Night Park has two areas: Night Plaza and Rain Park. The latter was conceptualized specifically based on the joy of playing in the rain. It features a 20-meter-long structure designed to catch and filter rainwater to make it safe for children to play with. The kids can observe the entire process to learn how the water goes from droplets in the sky to the basin. While this water is not drinkable, it is safe to be loaded in hand pumps and splashed around with your best mates.
The Night Plaza is a simple section on the grass with seats and a collection of outdoor lamps specifically crafted for the installation by local designer mài (@mai.cuahang_). The lamps provide enough illumination for a cozy evening hangout, but not too glaring that it might be too harsh on the eyes.
During the two months of its stay, the Night Park will play host to two events: Water Evening (September 19) and Water in the City (October 3). Water Evening will take place in tandem with the Trung Thu celebration organized by Phú Mỹ Hưng, including a walk, a yoga session, and a lantern parade — the yoga activity requires prior registration and a fee.
Water in the City is an education workshop organized by Gieo Collective, which “share stories of the Saigon River from their project ‘The River Tells Its Tales’ — the high tides, and the livelihoods that depend on the flood,” according to the Night Park website.
Visit the Night Park website for more details on the project and how to register for the aforementioned events.
Photos courtesy of Studio Anettai.
