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] Join Vietnam's Fanciest Gym for Just $24,000 a Year

Though it takes some willpower to get there, nothing beats a trip to the gym. You work out, you unwind in the sauna, you take advantage of the free shampoo, and by the time it's all over, you leave fe...

in Environment

Thailand Is Closing Its Controversial Tiger Temple

Thailand's controversial Tiger Temple is set to close down as a tourist attraction, as local authorities are now removing animals from the facility.

in Sports

Vietnam Is Getting a Pro Basketball League

For Vietnamese hoopsters, “a league of their own” will soon be more than just a movie starring Tom Hanks and Madonna.

in Development

Construction Begins on Hanoi-Sapa Highway Upgrade

On February 27, work began on an infrastructure project which will upgrade the existing roadway between Hanoi and Sapa.

in Development

[Photos] Vinhomes Central Park Rises From the Dust

While some of the city's construction projects are lagging – see, for instance, the skeletal riverside tower at the end of Ton Duc Thang – Vinhomes Central Park has breezed ahead, rising by the d...

in Tech

7 Young Vietnamese Make Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia Lists

Seven rising Vietnamese stars in media and business have earned a place on Forbes’ first-ever 30 Under 30 Asia list.

in Development

City Officials Approve Phase One Design of $2.4m Administrative Building

On February 27, city officials approved the design for phase one of Saigon's new administrative building.

in Development

Not Everyone Loves the Record-Breaking Hanoi Broadcast Tower

As Hanoi moves ahead with a plan to construct the world's tallest broadcast tower, not everyone is thrilled about the project, following last week's announcement of the 636-meter structure's approxima...

in Architecture

[Photos] A Vietnamese Townhouse’s Natural Rebirth

Standing out from other identical row houses on the street, an old brick residential unit known as the Cocoon House has emerged with its own unique, porous facade.

in Tech

Vietnamese Travel Startup Triip Gets $500k in Seed Funding

Triip, a Saigon-based travel platform, is the latest Vietnamese startup to receive international funding after the company announced last week it had secured US$500,000 in seed funding from Shanghai’s...

in Development

[Renderings] Hanoi to Trade Open Fields for Riverside Development Complex

On the eastern bank of the Red River, Hanoi's open fields are about to make way for a high-end real estate development in Long Bien District.

in Development

Mekong Delta Faces Worst Drought in 90 Years

It is not yet the peak of dry season, but the Mekong Delta is experiencing its worst drought in 90 years.

in Tech

[Photos] We Wish This Audi A8 With Built-in Rice Cooker Existed

We've all been there: it's the end of the day and you're inching your way home through rush hour traffic. When you finally make it to your house, the last thing you want to think about is making dinne...

in Environment

Vietnam Ranks 131 of 180 Countries on 2016 Environmental Protection Index

Every year, American university Yale releases its Environmental Protection Index (EPI), rating the ability of individual nations to protect both human health and the ecosystem. In 2016, the numbe...

in Development

[Video] Can Tho Gets Its First Pedestrian Bridge

Can Tho's brand-new pedestrian bridge opened to residents just in time for Tet.

in Architecture

[Photos] Saigon's Wasp House Is a Tiny Urban Oasis

The many oddly shaped houses of Saigon are, in some ways, an architect's dream: rather than contend with the conformity of gated communities or apartment blocks, architectural minds in this city face ...

in Development

Hanoi Metro Will Open in December 2016

By the end of 2016, Hanoi's first metro line will officially be up and running.

in Architecture

ArchDaily Nominates 3 Vietnamese Architects for Building of the Year Awards

Global architecture website ArchDaily is currently hosting its 2016 Building of the Year Awards where, much to our delight, Vietnamese architecture is well-represented. Among its 14 categories, l...

in Health

Vietnamese Spend $2bn on Healthcare Overseas

While foreigners are coming to Vietnam for medical tourism, locals are spending US$2 billion a year on healthcare abroad.

in Development

Saigon's Tax Center Skyscraper Will Have a Helipad

At the Satra-Tax Plaza's ground-breaking ceremony on January 29, developers of the project announced the roof of the new skyscraper will house a helipad.