How a Dance Project Is Reframing Deaf Identity in Saigon via Movement Art
Lắng Nghe Điểm Chạm is a project aiming to expand exposure opportunities and application potentials of performing arts into the life of marginalized and minority communities of Vietnam.
I Saw the World's Most Handsome Bird Right in Vietnam's Hidden Backyard
Everywhere I go in Vietnam, I keep my eyes peeled for the incredible birds that call this country home. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m doing it. I scan the horizon above low hills for migratory hawks. I stare into breaks in the foliage for passing buttonquail. I peer into rice paddies, fingers crossed for a cryptic snipe. And, of course, there’s Facebook. I refresh Facebook over and over again, waiting for the arrival of the mandarin duck. Its scientific name is Aix galericulata, which one assumes means “prettiest goddamn duck in the world.”
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
The Rise and Fall of Phượng Vĩ, the Summer Icon of Our Teenage Dreams
I was a teenage cliché. No matter how much I try to rack my brain to find any other personal connection to the incandescently red tree that is phượng vĩ, I keep going back to my middle school crush and that one tree in the front yard of our school.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
The Reason to Cry for Cu Li, Vietnam's Deeply Misunderstood Primate
A drop of the animal’s blood renders the soil barren; entire mountains can crumble and collapse where it landed. Be wary of this slow wayfarer of the forest, for if you catch sight of its glowing eyes in the distant darkness, your trip is doomed and should be abandoned immediately. And if someone brings one back to the village, make all efforts to return it to the jungle, lest you invite sorrow and ruin into your home. Don’t let its meagre stature, a mere 500 grams, and slow, cuddly demeanor confuse you; the cu li guards the gates to hell.
The Hunt for Vietnam's Dinosaurs Has Found Nothing Yet, but There Is Hope
Why aren’t there any Vietnamese dinosaurs?
In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity, Gender Fluidity Too
“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.
Uyên Đỗ in Tech
There's a Cordial Vietnamese Greeting That Has Been Floating in Space Since 1977
At this very moment, while you're reading these lines, a silver “bird” of human design is hurtling away from the Sun at roughly 60,000 kilometers per hour, slipping past the boundaries of our solar cradle and into the endless quiet of the cosmos.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
How a Self-Taught Documentarian Spreads His Boundless Enthusiasm for Vietnam's Nature
Why “Sticky Discovery”? This was the first question I asked during my interview with the man behind the YouTube series of...
Inside Nha Dan Architect’s HCMC NQ House
Nha Dan Architects, a firm specializing in commercial and residential projects, recently completed their sleek and artistic NQ House in Ho Chi Minh City which overcame some serious design challenges.&...
How Climate Change and a Drive for Profits Are Threatening the Mekong Delta
Upstream dams aren’t the only threat to the Mekong Delta.
HCMC Planning 8-Story Trade Center In Front Of Opera House
Downtown Saigon’s modern makeover continues to take shape with the city government announcing plans for a new, 8-story trade center just across from the Saigon Opera House.
[Video] Vo Trong Nghia’s 'Rebel Architecture'
In a city where building codes are either nonexistent or very lax, modern green architecture is often a hard sell. Sustainability and the long-term advantages of building for the environment and to im...
Work Begins On HCMC's $1.41B Central Park Project, Future Home Of Vietnam’s Tallest Building
Work on Vinhome’s VND30 trillion ($1.41 billion) Central Park project officially kicked off on December 13.
Half Of HCMC’s State Agency Officials Don’t Know How To Use Email
In a recent article by Dantri International, a survey conducted by the Department of Information and Communications revealed that as much as 50 percent of the higher officials in the city’s state depa...
Vietnamese Football Officials Call For Investigation Into “Incomprehensible” Loss
After last night’s sloppy 4-2 loss to Malaysia in the semi-final round of the 2014 Suzuki Cup, Vietnamese football officials plan to ask "concerned agencies" to investigate the match, the result of wh...
[Photos] 13 Old Saigon Villas to Be Demolished
According to Tuoi Tre, 13 villas in Districts 1 and 3 are scheduled to meet their demise in the near future. Though the city's Villa Classification Council is attempting to preserve many of these buil...
Thao Dien House Blends Natural and Minimalist Elements
This beautiful house in Thao Dien built by MM++ Architects is a rennovation of an existing structure that has been transformed into a natural wonderland. The design focuses on connecting the home’s li...
Could 3D-Printed Plastic Replace Metal Roofs in Vietnam?
A new project out of a Harvard spin-off, Resilient Modular Systems, has developed a system of modular roofing 3D printed from waste plastic.
[Video] Biker Drives Down Highway Using Only Feet, Takes Selfies Along The Way
This young motorist shows particular disregard for safety and common sense, driving down the highway at 60km/hour using only his feet, allowing him to use his free hands to take selfies with his passe...
New Laos Dam Could 'Kill' the Mekong Delta: Experts
“We can survive without electricity, but without water, we will die.”
Spain Pledges 3.4 Million Euros For HCMC Metro Line 5
It looks like plans for HCMC’s fifth metro line are getting a boost with the Spanish government pledging 3.4 Million Euros for the upcoming project.
Future Saigon Update: The German House
More details are emerging on the German House, the 25-story tower going up across from Kumho Plaza at the corner of Le Duan and Le Van Huu Steets.
HCMC Seeks To Lure Scientists With $7,015 Monthly Salaries
As HCMC seeks to position itself as the country’s science and technology hub, it is offering massive incentives to lure scientists.
[Photos] Vietnamese Artist Imagines A More Beautiful Hanoi
There’s plenty to love about Hanoi, but sometimes the electricity wires, dirty canals and abandoned construction sites leave a lot to be desired.
40% Of Pregnancies In Vietnam End In Abortion: Report
Vietnam’s defunct but lingering family planning policies, poor sex education programs and easy access to clinics has resulted in one of the highest abortion rates in the world, according to a recent r...
Say Goodbye to the Iconic Statue in Front of Ben Thanh Market
The statue of General Trần Nguyên Hãn that has stood in front of Bến Thành Market for decades is in the process of being permanently removed from the location to accommodate a new metro station.
Vietnamese Jeweler Begins To Ship 24k Gold Plated iPads
Some Vietnamese spend months of their salary on iPhones and iPads for a lift in status. But some go a step further, paying more than the value of the actual product to have it dipped in gold.
Vietnam Ranks First in Southeast Asia for Diabetes
Add diabetes to smoking and drinking on the list of major threats to Vietnam’s public health.
