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.
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.
Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà Leprosy Village to Be Relocated for Mega Resort Project
Authorities in Gia Lai Province have approved plans to relocate the Quy Hoà leprosy village from its current ocean-side setting in Quy Nhơn to make room for an ambitious real estate and tourism project.
Opinion: Electric Vehicles Are Southeast Asia's Way out Amid the Global Fossil Fuel Crisis
As the Iran war crunches global energy supplies and disrupts prices, Southeast Asian leaders may need to diversify oil and gas supplies in order to protect ordinary people.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
An Ancient Turtle Named After Bánh Xèo Can Teach Us a Lot About Whimsy in Science
Nước mắm — that ruby-hued elixir; that salty, fish-flesh-sweet open secret in your favorite recipe; that indispensable icon of Vietnamese culture and, by extension, identity — owes itself to Commerson’s anchovies. That’s right, if your fish sauce comes from the central region, where it was first developed, the fish pressed with salt to produce it are Stolephorus commersonnii, a species named in 1801 after Philibert Commerson, a white Frenchman. Picture all the hardscrabble village homes suffering under the yoke of colonialism, where one of the day’s few pleasures was a humble meal made delicious by a carefully rationed dash of fish sauce and an ingredient whose name pays homage to their colonizers.
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
Amid Bảo Lộc Hills, a Wooden Cafe Floats Amongst the Clouds
In the middle of nowhere Bảo Lộc, perched on the side of an alternative national road is the wooden carapace of Nguyen Coffee, a veritable “Noah’s ark” welcoming travelers in for a short break to enjo...
Australian Spirit on Display at AIS Open Day
“The best way to see the Australian Spirit is to just witness it as you walk around the school, it shows the kindness and compassion of our students and teachers and our willingness to help each other...
Scholarships Provide Unparalleled Opportunities at European International School
Lively student performances, games, activities, a bazaar, and snacks all combined to bring the community even closer together earlier this month at European International School’s (EIS) Thao Dien camp...
Amid a Resort, This Thatched Hut Houses a Zero-Waste Water-Bottling Plant
A humble production hut built with recycled bottles, local timber, thatched roof and simple granito concrete floors is used as a bottling facility for drinking water.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Thanh Long: How Dragon Fruit Proves Beauty Is Only Skin-Deep
Of all my accomplishments in life, my greatest may be the creation of The Banana Line. This is a ranking tool, based on the belief that if all fruits were lined up from worst to best, taking into acco...
[Photos] Katinat Cafe's Gò Vấp Location Is an Industrial Glass Fortress
Cement, air, water, sand, and gravel: concrete is a simple material. Same for glass, that spread of super-heated quartz sand.
How to Recieve a Tuition Scholarship for Australian International School
To “just have a go” is a very Australian way of encouraging a person to put forth their best effort and try something new. Ben Armstrong, the secondary school principal at Australian Internationa...
The Nocturnal Thrill of Capturing Vietnam's Elegant Fauna in Wildlife Photography
For most people, walking in the jungle at night would sound like a bad idea. A lack of knowledge and many misbeliefs, unfortunately, create bad assumptions about the wilderness after dark. And snakes,...
The Mekong Delta Loses Sand Too Fast Due to Extraction, It's Time for a Sand Budget.
Many people will be familiar with the dread when your income no longer covers your expenses; when you’ve exhausted your savings and are sinking ever deeper into debt. In the Mekong Delta, a similar do...
Michael Tatarski in Tech
How Going Digital Could Help Vietnam's Farmers Take Their Produce to the Next Level
In this digital age, farming, especially in developing countries like Vietnam, has maintained a general perception of being an analog, hands-on practice.
On a Hill in Huế, a Glass-Filled Home Welcomes Natural Light With Open Arms
Are hills simply mountains that lack ambition?
Đắk Lắk Receives $2.2m in Financial Support to End Elephant Rides by 2026
To be distributed between now and the end of 2026, the VND55 billion (US$2.2 million) provided by the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) will be used to help tourism centers in Đắk Lắk Province b...
How a Simple Dream for a Daughter’s Education Flourishes 25 Years Later at BIS HCMC
Saying Saigon has changed a great deal in the last 25 years is quite an understatement and the rapid development the city has experienced is not only evident by sprouting skyscrapers and large infrast...
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Khỉ Vàng: The Shit-Stirrer, Snack Thief, and Petty Criminal of Vietnam's Forests
I’m not a fucking idiot — That’s what I thought while looking at the sign hung from the door of my hotel room in Đà Nẵng.
Envisioning a Student’s Potential at Australian International School’s Open Day
An Open Day involves far more than simply letting people onto the school grounds to look around. Teachers, students, senior leadership and support staff all work together to welcome families of prospe...
Losing Myself (and My Work Stress) in the Wacky World of Jazz Dance
Since I started my foray into jazz dance, the most common question I’ve gotten has been “What, you can dance to jazz?”
What Creating a Sign Language App Taught Me About the Hardships of Vietnam's Deaf Community
In neighborhood communities, deaf children are often bullied by their hearing friends, according to my classmate Nguyễn Tài Minh.
Award-Winning Open Home in Hanoi Invites Generational Connections
CH House, a multi-generational abode that fosters harmonious family connectivity amidst Hanoi's discordant din, recently won the Dedalo Minosse International Prize for clients commissioning a house in...
Biên Hòa Cafe Embraces Industrial Design for a Transient Existence
If your dwelling is temporary, how much care do you pay to your surroundings?
Hanoi Is Not Building Dragon-Inspired Longest Structure in the World, Official Says
A 700,000-square-meter dragon-shaped building will remain a futuristic fantasy in the capital's Tây Hồ area, but it might be fun to indulge in its flashy design for a moment. The structure, meant...
