Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Is the Yeti Vietnamese? This Ancient Ape Might Hold the Answer.

Can you name a Vietnamese animal that hasn’t been hunted to the precipice of extinction or become a commodified item whose flesh, fur, or feathers are only deemed significant in relation to their practical use by humans?

in Architecture

This Suburban Hanoi House Answers 'Yes' to 'How Many Windows Do You Want?'

Do you love the tropical summer? Does bathing in the warmth of the sun spark joy in you? How many windows are enough to solar-power your everyday life? If you, too, are toiling with these existential concerns on a daily basis, perhaps this recent residential project might provide some inspiration.

in Health

A Hanoi Duo Crafts Intricate Silicone and Clay Prostheses for People With Disabilities

“The products we make are fake arms, legs, noses, ears… from silicone. The value we create is emotional healing, giving our customers confidence in themselves and their lives — the things they lack after surgeries,” Phúc shared while introducing their products. 

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.

Back Society

in Society

[Photos] Families Struggle to Get Ahead in Saigon's Cambodian Neighborhood

Along Vo Van Kiet Street not far from District 6’s Lo Gom Bridge, a small community of Cambodian residents lives in squalid conditions, eking out a modest living from their makeshift houses by the riv...

in Development

Hanoi Is Getting a Shiny New Horse Racing Track

After almost two decades of discussion, Hanoi’s horse racing complex is becoming a reality.

in Development

Officials Consider Another Tan Son Nhat Expansion as Overcrowding Becomes Dire

Saigon’s Tan Son Nhat is in dire need of an expansion due to overcrowding issues in the terminal, on the tarmac and even on the roads surrounding the international airport.

in Sports

Vietnam Sports Officials Accused of Attending Olympics in Place of Doctors, Coaches

While Vietnam is still basking in the glory of its first-ever gold medal – not to mention the other hardware picked up by shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh – some aren't happy with the count...

in Development

After 2 Years, Da Nang May Abandon US$104m Government Building

It seems Vietnam’s sweltering weather has claimed yet another casualty: Da Nang's US$104 million administrative building.

in Society

The Strict Stipulations Behind Takashimaya's Top-Notch Service

Along with a slew of foreign brands and mouthwatering Japanese pastries, Saigon’s new Takashimaya department store has also brought its unique brand of hospitality to the southern hub in hopes of wowi...

in Development

Vietnam: The Other, Other Asian Tiger

As we enter the final quarter of the year, it’s safe to say 2016 hasn’t exactly been the economic success Vietnam had hoped.

in Tech

A Brief History of Vietnam's Pokemon GO Adventures

Exactly one week after Niantic unleashed Pokemon GO on Vietnam, the country’s love for the colorful pocket monsters has shown no sign of waning. If anything, the Pokemon craze has only grown stronger ...

in Sports

Swimmer Joseph Schooling Beats Michael Phelps to Win Singapore’s First-Ever Olympic Gold

We’re barely halfway through the 2016 Summer Olympics, and already athletes in Rio have left a considerable mark on the history books. In addition to Vietnamese shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh, who won the co...

in Architecture

[Photos] Step Inside Da Lat's Hobbit-Like 'Uncle's House'

This Da Lat abode perfectly blends modern and traditional elements to bring its owners closer to nature.

in Tech

[UPDATED] Apple Finalizing Plans to Open $1bn Data Center in Da Nang

[UPDATE] On August 11, Chairman Huynh Duc Tho of the Da Nang People's Committee informed reporters that Apple, Inc. has not confirmed plans to construct a US$1 billion data center in the central city,...

in Tech

2 More Weeks for AAG Repairs, Hanoi to Get Free WiFi Network

In the ongoing saga of Vietnam’s temperamental WiFi connection, we’ve got good news and bad news.

in Architecture

[Photos] Past and Present Mingle in Hanoi’s ‘Attic Apartment’

When it comes to the scores of cramped and aging homes in urban Vietnam, local architects have a knack for transforming these unusual spaces into not only liveable but trendy and functional housing.

in Society

[Video] The Story of San Francisco’s Suu the Street Sweeper

When she first arrived in the United States, single mother Suu Ngo spoke no English.

in Society

[Infographic] Here's How to Get Fined While Driving a Motorbike

With an ever-changing set of traffic laws and penalties, it can be hard to keep up with Saigon's rules of the road.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Development

For Japanese Retailers, Saigon Center Opening a Sign of Good Things to Come

Across the street from a colorful, decades-old Hindu temple, motorbikes pour into the parking garage of the newly opened Saigon Center. Spiraling five floors below ground, the downtown shopping m...

in Society

Saigon’s Book Street Is Popular, Even With Declining Sales

Since its opening in January, Saigon’s downtown book street has seen plenty of visitors but fewer sales than expected.

in Architecture

[Illustrations] Japanese Architect Sketches Tokyo Metro Stations and the Chaos Above Them

In the dozens of digital renderings which envision a city’s future, you’ll find soaring skylines and innovative architecture but very little personality.

in Development

Laos’ Third Mekong River Dam Spells Danger for the Delta

Laos is preparing to begin construction on its third hydropower dam along the Mekong River.

in Architecture

[Photos/Video] Hanoi Architects Breathe New Life Into a Standard Tube House

By now, everyone in Vietnam is familiar with the standard tube house layout: a staircase in the middle, bedrooms on the sides and a ground floor that usually substitutes as a parking garage.