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 Development

Construction of Saigon Metro Flyover Above the Hanoi Highway Begins

Work on the above ground section of Saigon's first metro line is in full swing. Along with the construction of a rail bridge across the Saigon River and the installation of concrete girders, ...

in Development

Future Saigon: The District 5 Cultural Center

Below are some renderings of a new cultural center designed by HSP International Vietnam and Ardor Architects that will be located at 105 Tran Hung Dao, District 5.

in Development

Vietnam Plans To Launch High-Speed Rail Line By 2040

Despite the National Assembly’s opinion that it should be pushed to the back burner, the Transport Ministry is moving ahead with plans for Vietnam’s first high-speed rail line.

in Development

[Video] Workers Toss Molten Rivets To Repair Long Bien Bridge

Hanoi’s iconic Long Bien Bridge in the midst of a much-needed renovation to make it safer for pedestrians and drivers. But while one might think that a US$15 million upgrade would be conducted with cu...

in Development

Vietnam Moves Ahead With Plans For First Nuclear Power Plant

After years of delays, it looks like plans for Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant are slowly moving forward.

in Architecture

[Photos] Nha4 Architects Designs Flood-Proof Extension For Thai Hoa Home

Given the recent flooding in northern Vietnam, this “flood-proof” house extension seems like a smart addition for many Vietnamese families that face rising waters each rainy season.

in Tech

[Video] Dirtbiker Glides On Water, Surfs Waves With Custom Bike

When roads across Vietnam transform into rivers during the rainy season, water floods the engines of motorbikes, rendering them useless in the face of the murky currents. At some point, each of these ...

in Health

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Gluten

So you’ve been told that gluten is the antithesis of healthy living. Google searches involving the words “gluten” and “bad” yield thousands of articles branding this highly misunderstood substance as ...

in Development

[Renderings] A Look Inside Landmark 81, Vietnam's Future Tallest Skyscraper

In less than three years, the colossal Landmark 81 will rise from what was once a container port next to Saigon Pearl. Once completed, the 461.2 meter structure will be the tallest building in Vietnam...

in Architecture

[Photos] Da Nang Spa Is a Modern-Day Twist on Babylon’s Hanging Gardens

“In this palace he erected very high walks, supported by stone pillars; and by planting what was called a pensile paradise, and replenishing it with all sorts of trees, he rendered the prospect an exa...

in Development

Design For Saigon’s Underground Metro Tracks Approved

While the concrete pylons that comprise the above ground portion of Saigon’s first metro have lined the North-South Expressway for years, things are finally ramping up on its subterranean stations.

in Health

Up To 54% Of Ice In Saigon Found To Be Contaminated

From trà đá and cafe sữa đá to bia hơi, ice is an important element of beverage culture in Saigon. But according to a new study by the city’s Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, more than half of i...

in Development

Car Sales In Vietnam Have Increased 58% Over Last Year

Over the past year, 103,500 automobiles were sold in Vietnam, perhaps signaling the dawn of the car age in a country where motorbikes have long reined king.

in Development

[Photos] Behind The Scenes Of Hanoi’s First Metro Line

Wavy tracks and all, work is quickly moving ahead on Hanoi’s aboveground Cat Linh-Ha Dong railway. Seemingly on pace with Saigon’s first metro line, last week workers moved ahead with tricky girder in...

in Development

Design Officially Approved For Vietnam’s Tallest Building

Binh Thanh District's Landmark 81 skyscraper has been officially approved by the city's People’s Committee, clearing the path for the construction of Vietnam’s tallest building.

in Tech

Viber Closes Its Vietnam Office Due To Poor Performance: Insiders

Viber, maker of the instant messaging and Voice over IP (VoIP) app of the same name, announced that it has closed its Vietnam office and moved its operations to the Philippines.

in Development

Saigon to Demolish 61 Old Apartment Buildings

Saigon plans to take down 61 deteriorating apartment buildings and relocate their 7,200 households to resettlement areas. However, it's easier said than done.

in Development

City Announces Plans for New Bridge Connecting Thu Thiem and South Saigon

Another significant feature of Thu Thiem’s transportation infrastructure is in the works as the city is planning to build a bridge between the new urban area and South Saigon in District 7.

Brian Letwin

in Architecture

[Photos] The Disappearing Japanese Colonial Architecture Of Korea

Like the European empires of France, Britain, Spain and the Netherlands, Japan once occupied wide swaths of Asia, imposing its military and cultural influence over its colonies.

in Development

$2bn Thu Thiem Eco Smart City Set to Break Ground This Year

A week after the city unveiled Thu Thiem Empire City, a project that will include Vietnam’s tallest building, a group of Asian developers have announced that they will break ground on its neighbor, th...