After nearly 10 years of research, Hanoi City has just approved 6 urban subdivision planning projects covering an area of more than 3,000 hectares in 4 districts: Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da and Hai Ba Trung.
Two of the main requirements of these 6 projects are to improve the system of social infrastructure, technical infrastructure, and add urban utilities to the inner city; at the same time, population control, falling from nearly 900,000 to 670,000 by 2030.
Regarding the organization of architectural space – landscape, the project of the structure of 4 inner urban districts into street cells is mainly low-rise buildings. In particular, buildings in the old town are only allowed to be from 3 to 4 floors (12-16 m); the area of Sword Lake and its vicinity does not exceed 16 m; old quarter from 4 to 6 floors (16-22 m); the remaining restricted development areas are allowed to build houses from 5 to 7 floors (20-25 m) high…
Sword Lake area seen from above . Image: Giang Huy
According to Professor Nguyen Lan, former Chief Architect of Hanoi, the policy of building low-rise buildings in the central area of Hanoi, instead of developing a compact urban area with modern buildings, is to “preserve the unique characteristics of the city”.
He explained, Hanoi with its long history is different from new cities in the world, in the central area there are old streets, old streets, mixed with villas built during the French colonial period. This is a unique cultural and historical feature that needs to be preserved. Therefore, allowing the construction of high-rise buildings in this area will disrupt the landscape and common space, and lose the character of the capital.
“The city must take drastic measures for investors to comply with regulations, prevent the intention to build high-rise buildings here. The remaining villas from the French period also need to be preserved as much as possible.” GS Lan said.
Along with building height management, 4 central districts will develop underground space according to the TOD model – urban development associated with the public transport system, including 5 urban railway lines running through and 22 stations have been planned in the area of 4 districts.
Within 500 m from the underground station, the projects provide the orientation to maximize the use of depth to form underground public space in the area with limited work height, helping to reduce the construction density of the floating part. ; encourage the creation of underground pedestrian routes to connect these areas.
To contribute to solving the problem of public transport, the city will also build 89 parking lots, of which 38 are high-rise and 51 underground.
With 130 old apartments and collectives in the planned area , projects stating improvement solutions in the direction of resettlement in place, increasing height, reducing construction density; increase the area of green trees to create convenience for people. The renovation of all apartments will be carried out on a project-by-project basis.
Location map of urban zoning planning. Graphics: Ta Lu – Vo Hai
About the goal of reducing about 215,000 people in 4 urban districts in the next 10 years, projects clearly reduce nearly 120,000 people through site clearance, infrastructure construction; 100,000 people reduce mechanically when moving the headquarters of ministries and branches, when building new urban areas to attract people to the outside…
“Relocating the headquarters of ministries and branches out of the inner city will create a land fund of about 176 hectares, giving priority to solving problems such as schools, kindergartens, parks and trees,” said Nguyen Duc Hung – Deputy Director Construction planning of Hanoi, said.
According to Professor Nguyen Lan, the goal of reducing 215,000 people in the inner city requires great efforts of the government and social consensus. “The city needs to create conditions for people to have a new place to live to ensure a better life. Because otherwise, most people will find a way to return to the old town for their living needs,” he said and cited evidence. The policy of population expansion in the Old Quarter was set by Hanoi more than 20 years ago, with the goal of moving over 6,500 households, about 27,000 people, expected to end in 2020 but so far has not achieved the set target.
According to Professor Nguyen Lan, after announcing the project, the government needs detailed instructions to realize the ideas and create favorable conditions for people’s lives, for example, if the houses in the old quarters and old streets are degraded, the “how to repair, how to rebuild with architecture…”.
Commenting further, Mr. Tran Huy Anh (Hanoi Architects Association) said that the city needs to take into account any resource factors to realize the project.
“The idea of reconstructing the central urban area, relaxing the population, moving the ministry’s headquarters out of the inner city … must have great resources to ensure feasibility,” Mr. Anh said.
6 projects divide 4 inner-city districts into areas according to nature and function, including:
Old Town is a city of historical and cultural value; The main functions are commerce, services, tourism combined with houses and public works serving the residential community.
Sword Lake area and its vicinity is a famous scenic area of Hanoi. The main functions are the center of culture, administration, commerce, service, tourism combined with housing…
Old Quarter is an old urban area with many works of historical, cultural and architectural value.
Restricted development area is the rest of the zoning plans with the main functions of housing, agencies, heritage, monuments, tourism, commercial services, urban utilities.
According to Vnexpress