The crowded O Cho Dua Street in downtown Hanoi. Vietnam has witnessed a rapid pace of urbanisation since the late 90s (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam has been immersed in a golden period ofurbanisation with a growing number of city development projects. This period ispredicted to continue after 2050 but could prove challenging.
The remark was made by Associate Professor Architecture Pham Thuy Loan, deputydirector of the Vietnam National Institute of Architecture at a seminar onurban design and development in Hanoi on November 27.
The seminar was held among a series of events within “Danish Week – Sustainableand Livable Cities”.
According to the Urban Development Department under the Ministry ofConstruction, Vietnam has witnessed rapid urban development with the number ofcities increasing from 629 in 1999 to 819 in 2018. The urban coverage is now38.3 percent compared to 19.6 percent in 1999.
The Government’s plan targets 934 cities by 2025 and more than 1,000 citiesafter 2050.
Participants at the seminar heard that HCM City had been paralysed by the ninthtyphoon of the season over the past few days, showing a clear example of howcities in Vietnam were being impacted by climate change.
Cities in Vietnam might also face a number of other challenges posed by delaysto major projects, unattended waste treatment systems and social gaps andimbalanced development between construction and nature.
“There is a trend of transforming historical and cultural sites into shoppingmalls. Investors tend to exploit valuable spaces and visitors have to pay feesto visit them, which is a risky trend and will affect the livability of thecities in Vietnam,” Loan said.
She said that new urban areas in Vietnam also lacked space for bicycles andpedestrians.
“There is demand for travelling by bike and walking but there is no voicefighting for that. Several independent groups have pioneered campaigns for bikeadvocacy but there has been no combination of actions from all stakeholders andpolicies from State level to provincial level to facilitate cycling in thecities,” she said.
Tina Saaby, chief city architect of Copenhagen, known as the city of bikes,recommended Vietnam should prioritise investment in space for bikes and publictransport.
"We should discuss with people how we can change behaviour of not going bymotorbikes and walking more or changing motorbikes to bikes," she said.
From the current practice of making Danish cities attractive and sustainable,Professor Tom Nielsen from Denmark’s Aarhus University of Architecture saidthat opening public spaces was a recommendation for Vietnam to develop livablecities.
According to Loan, Vietnam’s population is in a golden era, with 65 percent ofits population of a working age.
Saaby said that putting people first was one of the most important factors inthe process of transforming Denmark’s capital to what is now known as one ofthe most sustainable and livable cities in the world.
“In Copenhagen, we think of urban life before designing urban spaces and ofurban space before designing buildings. We do this because it is urban lifethat makes the city. There is no city without the people who use it, who live,work and move around in its buildings and streets,” she said.
“Danish Week – Sustainable and Livable Cities”, which kicked off on November 27,is a week-long series of urban design and development activities co-hosted bythe Danish Embassy in Vietnam and the Ministry of Construction.
The event includes seminars, classes and tours of urban areas and architecturalprojects in both Hanoi and HCM City.-VNS/VNA
