Michael Tatarski

in Natural Selection

The Tragic Story of Cầy Vằn Bắc Is Why You Shouldn't Buy Civet Coffee

While Saigoneer’s Natural Selection series has already covered a number of iconic species and types of animals, including the tiger, Asian elephant, dogs and cats, there’s a good chance most of the people reading this haven’t heard of today’s critter. 

in Architecture

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 Architecture

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 ...

in Environment

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.

in Architecture

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.

in Architecture

The Saigon House That Swapped Its Front Door for a Moat

Does a house need walls?

Back Society

in Tech

Vietnam's Undersea Internet Cables Break on Average 10 Times Annually, Experts Say

Vietnam’s internet is inconsistent, but very affordable when compared with regional peers, according to experts at the recent Vietnam Internet Day 2021 conference.

in Health

Nano Covax Vaccine Provides 92% Protection Against Severe Covid-19

A domestic vaccine may still see the light of day.

in Architecture

[Photos] At Hanoi's Astronomy Park, an Earth-Bound Journey to the Stars

Vietnam's major cities are infamously short on green space, so any new park is noteworthy — particularly when they are as uniquely designed as the Astronomy Park in Hanoi's western suburbs.

in Tech

Wallet App MoMo Becomes Unicorn Startup With $200m in New Investment

M-Service, the owner of Vietnam's leading payment app MoMo, raised US$200 million during a Series-E funding round led by Japanese bank Mizuho, resulting in a US$2 billion valuation.

in Sports

Acrobatic Giang Brothers Shatter Guinness World Record in Stair-Climbing

Next step: finding a practical application.

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Cá Chuồn: The Fish That Dreams Beyond Its Realm

Insects, pterosaurs, birds, and bats: flight evolved on Earth independently four times, so why do you think it’s so unlikely that you’ll find love again?

in Architecture

Tản Mạn Kiến Trúc Propels the Architecture Discourse Into the Age of Social Media

Architecture Excursions - Tản Mạn Kiến Trúc is a grassroots media project founded by a group of young Vietnamese who share a simple goal: to shed light on Vietnam’s vast and often undiscussed architec...

in Parks & Rec

Seeking Solace in the Fantastical Adventures of Dungeons and Dragons

Contrary to popular belief, Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just a geeky hobby, to me, it's a form of “group therapy” that is slowly taking shape in Vietnam, bringing fun and memorable bonding moments to t...

in Architecture

[Photos] A Vegetarian Restaurant in Hanoi Conceived Like an Art Space

Has an art exhibition ever made you hungry?

in Education

How Foreign Families Continued to Thrive During Lockdown at British Vietnamese International School (BVIS)

“The more diverse you are, the richer your life becomes,” explains Sun-hwa Kwon, whose daughter, So-yul, is in her fifth year at Hanoi’s British Vietnamese International School.

in Development

Saigon's Infamous 'Ghost Tower' Has a New Developer

Saigon's most notorious ghost tower appears to have a new lease on life.

in Sports

Netizens Angered After AFF YouTube Livestream Mutes Vietnam's National Anthem

A faux pas relating to the national anthem before a football match yesterday has angered millions of Vietnamese fans.

in Architecture

[Photos] This Petite Abode Brings Adaptability and Comfort to the Forefront

Big, spacious homes certainly have their appeal, but sometimes all you need is a cozy little abode.

in Health

Health Ministry Orders Plans for 3rd Vaccine Shots as Covid-19 Cases Surge

As Vietnam grapples with a resurgence of the novel coronavirus, officials have been asked to plan for booster shots.

in Architecture

[Photos] Đen Đá's Phù Đổng Outlet Sets Itself Apart in a Busy Roundabout

If one is looking for upside in the proliferation of cafe chains across Saigon, we would argue that the more locations there are, the more chances there are for architects to get more creative than yo...

Uyên Đỗ

in Natural Selection

Bồ Kết: When Nature Dreams of Bubbles and Silky Hair

The first memory I have of bồ kết was when it was concocted into something completely different from its unassuming, modest self.

in Parks & Rec

In a Schoolyard, a Close-Knit Community Spearheads Saigon's Archery Scene

Laser-focused gazes, shiny bows, colorful targets, and looking cool as hell: these are the components of a picture-perfect post one might find on the Instagram of any budding archer. But social media ...

in Society

Meet the High School Students Leading the Fight Against Hanoi’s Food Waste

High school pupils are perhaps not who you’d expect to see running an established volunteer organization in a capital city. When it comes to tackling food waste and shortages, however, a group of youn...

in Education

How International School Saigon Pearl Ensures Student Safety

When sending their children to school, parents must be confident that they are physically, emotionally and mentally safe.

in Architecture

Local Architecture Projects Win Awards at 2021 Architecture MasterPrize

The winning designs include family homes, a health center, office buildings, and hotels built across Vietnam.