Urbanisation poses challenges to VN’s sustainable development
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam has been immersed in a golden period of
urbanisation with a growing number of city development projects. This period is
predicted to continue after 2050 but could prove challenging.
The remark was made by Associate Professor Architecture Pham Thuy Loan, deputy
director of the Vietnam National Institute of Architecture at a seminar on
urban design and development in Hanoi on November 27.
The seminar was held among a series of events within “Danish Week – Sustainable
and Livable Cities”.
According to the Urban Development Department under the Ministry of
Construction, Vietnam has witnessed rapid urban development with the number of
cities increasing from 629 in 1999 to 819 in 2018. The urban coverage is now
38.3 percent compared to 19.6 percent in 1999.
The Government’s plan targets 934 cities by 2025 and more than 1,000 cities
after 2050.
Participants at the seminar heard that HCM City had been paralysed by the ninth
typhoon of the season over the past few days, showing a clear example of how
cities in Vietnam were being impacted by climate change.
Cities in Vietnam might also face a number of other challenges posed by delays
to major projects, unattended waste treatment systems and social gaps and
imbalanced development between construction and nature.
“There is a trend of transforming historical and cultural sites into shopping
malls. Investors tend to exploit valuable spaces and visitors have to pay fees
to visit them, which is a risky trend and will affect the livability of the
cities in Vietnam,” Loan said.
She said that new urban areas in Vietnam also lacked space for bicycles and
pedestrians.
“There is demand for travelling by bike and walking but there is no voice
fighting for that. Several independent groups have pioneered campaigns for bike
advocacy but there has been no combination of actions from all stakeholders and
policies from State level to provincial level to facilitate cycling in the
cities,” she said.
Tina Saaby, chief city architect of Copenhagen, known as the city of bikes,
recommended Vietnam should prioritise investment in space for bikes and public
transport.
"We should discuss with people how we can change behaviour of not going by
motorbikes and walking more or changing motorbikes to bikes," she said.
From the current practice of making Danish cities attractive and sustainable,
Professor Tom Nielsen from Denmark’s Aarhus University of Architecture said
that opening public spaces was a recommendation for Vietnam to develop livable
cities.
According to Loan, Vietnam’s population is in a golden era, with 65 percent of
its population of a working age.
Saaby said that putting people first was one of the most important factors in
the process of transforming Denmark’s capital to what is now known as one of
the most sustainable and livable cities in the world.
“In Copenhagen, we think of urban life before designing urban spaces and of
urban space before designing buildings. We do this because it is urban life
that makes the city. There is no city without the people who use it, who live,
work and move around in its buildings and streets,” she said.
“Danish Week – Sustainable and Livable Cities”, which kicked off on November 27,
is a week-long series of urban design and development activities co-hosted by
the Danish Embassy in Vietnam and the Ministry of Construction.
The event includes seminars, classes and tours of urban areas and architectural
projects in both Hanoi and HCM City.-VNS/VNA