Vinh's urban architecture needs some "highlights".

(Baonghean) - The inconsistent architecture of the buildings, along with variations in color and height, has created a "lack of harmony" in the urban landscape. Vinh urgently needs modern architectural works to create urban landmarks while still reflecting the unique characteristics of Nghe An province.

Lack of uniformity

The architecture of the five-story apartment buildings in Quang Trung ward is quite similar and closely interconnected. Therefore, even though each block (A, B, C) has 7-9 high-rise buildings, it still creates a sense of "unity" and a unique architectural character for the apartment complex, which was once considered an "urban highlight" and a source of pride for the people of Vinh City. This was possible because the German Democratic Republic, during the investment and construction process, highly respected planning and architecture. Mr. Nguyen The Vinh, a resident of the Quang Trung apartment complex, said: “What I really like about this apartment complex is that the buildings have a uniform architecture and a very spacious feel because the buildings are constructed with a certain distance between them, suitable for the local climate. However, this apartment complex is now very old and severely dilapidated, so recently, some investors have undertaken renovations and rebuilt parts of this five-story building.”

Lenin Avenue (from the Customs Department to the North Canal Bridge) is considered one of the most beautiful streets in Vinh City.

The Quang Trung high-rise apartment complex has become a key development area for both Quang Trung ward and Vinh City. Consequently, the revised Vinh City planning project to 2030 with a vision to 2050, prepared by Nikken Sekkei Civil Engineering Ltd (Japan), identifies Quang Trung as a multi-functional commercial and service center. The challenge is that to fulfill this important function, a specific plan is needed, especially regarding the architecture of the buildings, which will then serve as a basis for investment projects.

On Quang Trung Street – one of the main thoroughfares in Vinh City and always attractive to real estate investors – more and more high-rise projects with diverse architectural styles are being completed. The 17-story TECCO mixed-use residential and commercial building was previously the tallest on Quang Trung Street, but it was quickly surpassed by other structures, such as the 33-story Muong Thanh - Song Lam Hotel. This lack of uniformity in both height and architecture among these high-rise buildings has resulted in an inconsistent urban landscape in Vinh.

Each construction project has different values ​​and functions, and therefore different architectural styles. However, because there are no specific regulations in this area, the architecture, height, etc., of the buildings are based on the subjective opinions of the investors. Therefore, along Quang Trung Street, the architecture of buildings like TECCO, HANICO, PetroVietnam, and Muong Thanh varies greatly. Some have commented that this "diversity" in appearance suggests that if the current situation of investing in and constructing high-rise buildings continues, these buildings will soon disrupt urban planning and architecture, and rectifying the consequences will be very difficult. Therefore, strict and timely regulations in this area are necessary.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Do, Chairman of the Quang Trung Ward People's Committee, stated: “Quang Trung Ward is one of the commercial and service development centers of Vinh City, but the architecture of the buildings is not uniform and lacks specific planning… Therefore, Quang Trung Ward needs to be planned comprehensively and promptly, with appropriate policies to attract investment projects to meet the housing needs of the people, while simultaneously building a multi-functional commercial and service center for Vinh City. In the future, attention should be paid to the architecture of the buildings, as there is still a lack of buildings of the right scale and characteristic features of the central area…”

Planning needs to be done well.

One of the major headaches for urban planners and architects in Vinh City is the excessive fragmentation of land plots along main streets, allowing residents to build houses according to their own preferences. This land fragmentation along streets, coupled with inconsistent housing architecture, has distorted and detracted from the aesthetic appeal of Vinh's urban landscape. Many visitors to Vinh regret that the city has many advantages for development into a modern metropolis, with structures befitting a center of the North Central region, but poor planning, and especially inadequate management and construction of residential buildings along main roads, has hampered progress.

Architect Nguyen Viet Duc – Deputy Head of the Urban Management Department of Vinh City People's Committee acknowledged: “Currently, there are no specific regulations on residential architecture, so when organizations and individuals build structures, the architecture varies. On some main streets such as Quang Trung, Le Loi, Le Hong Phong, Tran Phu… there are some large-scale construction projects, but they are independent structures, lacking harmonious integration with other buildings and lacking distinctive features for the city. To overcome this situation, a broad-scale planning and specific regulations on the architecture of construction projects are needed. Organizations and individuals investing in construction projects need to consider the related structure and functionality of the building…”

Through discussions with several architects, they all shared the same opinion: the stretch of Le Nin Boulevard (from the Customs Department to the North Canal Bridge (3-2 Bridge)) is considered one of the most beautiful streets in Vinh City, and can be seen as a highlight of Vinh's urban landscape. Here, there are many high-rise buildings, but their height is very reasonable and harmonious, suitable for the climate of Central Vietnam. In particular, the buildings are spaced appropriately, creating a spacious and airy environment, and all have setbacks, reflecting the characteristic features of an administrative center.

According to the plan, Vinh City will expand into Cua Lo Town, and the Vinh-Cua Lo Boulevard, considered a driving force for socio-economic development, will provide opportunities for planning and investing in key urban landmarks in Vinh in the near future. However, if planning is not done well, it will be difficult to avoid a situation where some real estate projects prioritize profit over quality, leading to the practice of subdividing and selling land plots, causing difficulties for large, strategic projects.

Mr. Luong Ba Quang – Chairman of the Nghe An Architects Association, said: “The province's selection of Nikken Sekkei Civil Engineering Ltd (Japan) to carry out the Vinh City planning project demonstrates its determination to develop Vinh City to a level befitting a socio-economic center of the North Central region. Although the project still needs to be revised many times, we hope that with a planning project by a reputable unit from Japan, we will have a good foundation to build Vinh City into a city worthy of its status, with unique architectural works that reflect the characteristics of Nghe An province…”

...It will still take time, and there is still much work to be done for Vinh City to become a city worthy of the North Central region, but I believe that with the active involvement of all levels, sectors, consulting and construction units, etc., Vinh City will reach its goal in the near future.

Hoang Vinh