Built for a Painter, This Huế House Brings the Art Gallery Into the Home
A recurring problem in home decor for art lovers is finding enough wall space to display paintings and art pieces in the best way to showcase their beauty. As a painter, the owner of the Nala House project in Huế is well-acquainted with this concern, and set out to rectify it right from the beginning by bringing the gallery into his home.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
Saigon's Weather Dude Is Dedicated to Keeping Saigoneers Dry This Rainy Season
Why is it raining in Saigon? Because it’s the rainy season. Sure, but if you want to be more specific, you can cite conditions in the Bay of Bengal, more than 2,500 kilometers away. It’s there that the wind conditions form that flow across the Gulf of Thailand, sucking up the moisture that drenches Vietnam’s southern metropolis.
In the Era of Constant Rebuilding, We Turn to Vietnamese Modernism for Nostalgic Comfort
For two years now, I've checked the Vietnamese Modernist Architecture Facebook group almost every day. Here, members post ...
How Laos's Dams Are Powering Vietnam, Other ASEAN Nations Despite Mekong Concerns
Following a spate of foreign investment in the 1990s, Laos began producing surplus electricity and looked to export it. Today, around 80% of its energy, largely from hydropower, is sold to neighbors. Electricity exports from Laos generate around US$2.6 billion for what is one of the poorest nations in mainland Southeast Asia. Across the region, neighbors including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia have become reliant on hydropower from Laos. Slowly but surely, however, this is changing.
A Pop-up Night Park Brings the Joy of Playing in the Rain to Phú Mỹ Hưng
A lack of public spaces and activities has been a chronic problem plaguing Saigon’s urban planning since the city experienced its first population boom a few decades ago. If you happen to be near District 7 in the next two months, a pop-up park could be a new option for children, and perhaps some particularly exuberant adults, to frolic in the rain and the evening.
Elise Luong in Environment
Living, Learning, Loving From the Earth at Ninh Bình's Lá Library
A stone's throw away from Cúc Phương National Park in Ninh Bình Province sits Lá Library, an education center promoting sustainable living through sustainable agriculture farming, earthen building techniques and the art of chilling out.
The Saigon House That Swapped Its Front Door for a Moat
Does a house need walls?
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?
Brian Letwin in Tech
New iPhone Feature May Deter Thieves (But Probably Not)
Yesterday's WWDC saw some major product announcements, highlighted by an updated Macbook Air, re-designed Mac Pro and new versions of iOS and Mac OSX. Major changes aside, there was one element of the...
Brian Letwin in Development
Hitachi Selected to Build Vietnam’s First Urban Railway
Japanese mega-corporation, Hitachi, has announced their winning bid to build Vietnam’s first urban railway in Saigon. The $381 million project is slated to begin operation in 2018. Under the contract...
Brian Letwin in Health
Botched Penile Implants on the Rise
Well, we started this week with the story of a Quang Nam principal who had his penis inspected by local authorities to disprove rumors of an affair. And now, a spate of botched penile silicone implant...
Brian Letwin in Health
Diabetes Rates Skyrocketing in Vietnam
As Vietnam continues its march to a free market economy, the country is not only importing new brands, but new health problems as well. Even as some begin to embrace organic produce, there are far mor...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Da Nang to Get Free WIFI Network
In the works since 2003, Da Nang’s $2 million city-wide WIFI network is set to come online this September. The system will rely on 400 transmitters, allowing access so 10,000 users at any given time. ...
Brian Letwin in Tech
E-commerce Sales to Hit $1.3 Billion by 2015
VECITA, the Vietnam E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency, released a report last week which revealed that Vietnam’s e-commerce sales will hit $700 million by the end of 2012 and $1.3 billion b...
Brian Letwin in Development
Call for Submissions: Ho Chi Minh MEGA City
If you love Saigon, it’s time to grab your camera and take some shots of the city! The photo book, “TP. Ho Chi Minh MEGA City,” is currently being assembled and the authors are seeking submissions. C...
Brian Letwin in Development
Saigon Announces Plan for Waterway Development
Well, Saigon is really trying to cover all the bases for its 2020 rebirth. Another massive project has been proposed to redevelop Saigon’s 1,000km of rivers and canals at a cost of more than $500 mill...
Brian Letwin in Development
Vietnam to Invest $287 million in a Taller, Stronger Population
It seems like everyone wants to be a little bit taller (and a baller) these days. A recent report revealed that Vietnam’s neighbors are not only taller, but enjoy a faster growth speed amongst their p...
Big Changes for Online Advertising in Vietnam
For Google staff, today should prove to be slightly more relaxing following a week of big announcements. For many of them, the week started with a cup of coffee at the annual I/O developer conference ...
Brian Letwin in Development
City Center Overhaul to be "Harmonious"
For those skeptical about the recently announced changes to the city center, Nguyen Trong Hoa - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Development Studies and one of the plan’s authors – explai...
Brian Letwin in Development
Airport for Mui Ne in the Works
Saigon might not be the only one who’s getting a shiny new airport - developers have submitted plans to the Phan Thiet central government to construct a $270 million regional airport. Russians, rejoic...
Brian Letwin in Development
How Saigon Plans to Avoid the 'Car Age'
“A developed city is not one in which the poor get around by car but one in which the rich get around by public transit” - Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogotá. It seems like every time I’m stall...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Vietnam Delays Introduction of 4G Service
Even as Vietnam becomes increasing connected by mobile devices, don’t expect 4G service any time soon. According to Vietnam News, the government wants to maximize the existing investments made by...
Asia's Social Media Boom
A macro-economic expert could view social media as a good economic development indicator. Social media fever is fading a bit in the US after the mini-bubble, encouraged by the highly criticized purcha...
Brian Letwin in Development
Massive Changes Approved for Saigon's City Center
Sometimes wishes do come true. The city government has approved a plan that will completely redefine the layout and borders of Saigon's city center. The highlight of the plan will see the conversion o...
Brian Letwin in Development
As Thu Thiem Stalls, City Rushes to Lure Investors
Development of Thu Thiem was supposed to be the crown jewel of Saigon’s urban expansion. Since 1996, plans have been in place to turn this green swath of land, directly across from District 1, into th...
Brian Letwin in Tech
"Fucking Ugly" Websites Plague Vietnam
Design is subjective; ‘good’ design changes by region, city and individual. Design elements that may seem antiquated to one, may be fresh or reinvented by another so we try not to judge - except when ...
Brian Letwin in Health
Forget Motorbikes. Smoking is Vietnam's #1 Killer
No matter where you’re from, smoking cigarettes is a killer. While Vietnam has started to feel the effects of this long-ignored but serious public health issue, perhaps a recent report from the Ho Chi...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Could This Vietnamese Startup Overtake Dropbox?
Dropbox has long been the biggest player in the cloud storage game, but this may soon change. Local startup, Kleii, has just secured its first round of seed funding and has its eyes on the internation...
