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?

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. 

Back Society

in Sports

Ánh Viên, Vietnam's Most Decorated Swimmer, Wants to Resign From National Team

Citing a desire to spend more time with her family and a drop in her performance, Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên reportedly reached the decision after returning from the Tokyo Olympics this past summer.&nbs...

Michael Tatarski

in Natural Selection

Chó: The Four National Breeds of Vietnamese Doggos

It’s an inarguable fact that dogs are the purest of animals.

in Education

Maximizing the Benefits of Home-Based Learning in Vietnam

While in-person classes remain temporarily on hold in order to protect the health of students, teachers and communities, home-based learning offers a multitude of benefits for students. Over the last ...

in Architecture

[Photo] An Open-Air Cafe in Hoi An to Catch the Morning Sunlight

"I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” said renowned artist Vincent Willem van Gogh. Perhaps coffee should have been added to the list.

in Society

In Pre-Pandemic Central Vietnam, the Stages of Life Are in Full View Outside

The multiple stages of life are never far from view on the streets of Vietnam.

in Sports

[Video] The Fiery Spectacle of Vietnam's Professional Wrestling Scene

In skimpy shorts, menacing facepaint, and sometimes even impressive props, members of the Vietnam Pro Wrestling (VPW) club engage in energetic “battles” that incorporate flying acrobatics and dynamic ...

in Environment

Ná Nả: How a Grassroots Initiative Enriches the Lives of Ethnic Minorities

Khang A Tủa is attending university in Ho Chi Minh City, but he took the last semester off to run a project supporting people of the H’Mong ethnic minority.

in Tech

Vietnam Announces New App to Unify All Previous Covid-19 Apps

One app to rule them all.

Mầm

in Tech

The Unexpected Lure of Watching Streamers Drive a Truck Across a Virtual Vietnam

As the months-long lockdown drags on — though with some light at the end of the tunnel — and with in-person programs being canceled or put on indefinite hiatus, demand for virtual entertainment has na...

Khôi Phạm

in Tech

Review: Vietnamese Indie Game 'Hoa' Is a Soothing Oasis in the Age of Anxiety

There is an exquisite but hard-to-name feeling that engulfs me every time I finish watching a particularly outstanding movie. It’s a lingering mixture of awe, fulfillment, wistfulness, anguish, contem...

in Society

In Lockdown, Saigoneers Draw Strength From an Unexpected Wealth of Support: Each Other

They largely didn't know each other, except for their flatmates. Then the COVID-19 outbreak began, and they got closer. They are now more accommodating, caring and loving.

in Society

How Hanoi Residents and Collectives Look out for the City's Most Vulnerable

“He was so happy to be given rice. And he didn’t have a smartphone or anything like that. I felt I had helped someone that really needed help, and I felt very happy about that.”

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Voi: From Hai Bà Trưng's Fearsome Companions to Tourism Servants

Does art need a purpose?

in Architecture

[Photos] D2's Okkio Cafe Is an Architectural Homage to Wong Kar-Wai

Today's architecture feature will be familiar to frequent visitors of Thao Dien.

in Education

How Local Students are Preparing for Careers in Hospitality at EHL Group

While global tourism has certainly been negatively impacted over the last two years by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is sure to rebound and once again be an important driving force in Southeast Asia’s eco...

in Environment

UNESCO Recognizes Nui Chua, Kon Ha Nung as Vietnam's New Biosphere Reserves

They are in Ninh Thuan and Gia Lai.

in Health

Vietnamese Company Buys 50m Doses of Spanish Covid-19 Vaccine

Another vaccine will come to Vietnam in the future.

Uyên Đỗ

in Society

Love in the Time of Corona: Long-Distance Relationships When You're Just 1km Apart

In an ever-moving world, “long distance” has become a well-established concept in modern relationships. It’s easy to spot couples with one half living in a different time zone among our social circles...

in Society

Without Ride-Hailing, Public Buses, Saigon's Taxis Are Thrust Into the Frontline

Through the windows of a taxi cab making its way through deserted Ho Chi Minh City, the once-bustling Vietnamese metropolis is almost unrecognizable as empty street after empty street rolls by.

in Health

95% of Hanoi's Residents Over Age 18 Have Received At Least One Dose of a Covid Vaccine

According to Vietnam’s COVID-19 Vaccination Portal, about 95% of resident Hanoians aged 18 or above have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. On Sunday alone, the city administered 573,829 ...