The Law on Architecture was born to overcome the shortcomings while still preserving its own identity.

The National Assembly Standing Committee gives opinions on the Law on Architecture

On August 11, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave its opinion on the draft Law on Architecture. The examining body agreed with the necessity of promulgating the Law on Architecture according to the Government's Report. At the same time, it emphasized that the construction of the Law on Architecture was proposed by state management agencies and architects more than 20 years ago to overcome limitations, difficulties, and obstacles, meeting the requirements of architectural management and development.

Regarding the issue of architectural management, the examining agency, the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment, believes that, from the practice of implementing construction laws in recent times, it shows that in order to effectively manage architecture for projects and works, it is necessary to consider synchronously controlling the elements of spatial architecture organization and construction architecture in those projects right from the beginning (from the stage of planning establishment and approval; reviewing and approving investment policies, preliminary designs, etc.).

The Standing Committee of the Science, Technology and Environment Committee agreed with the regulations on general requirements for architectural management and architectural requirements for urban, rural and old quarter areas. However, there are opinions that architectural management should cover objects classified according to administrative, socio-economic and other specific functions.

Requirements for urban and rural architecture need to be more specific, researched and linked to construction principles and the content of architectural management regulations; must be consistent, suitable and concretize the General Requirements that have been prescribed.

For urban landscape, it is necessary to pay attention to architectural management with objects such as: areas where construction has not been invested in, border areas; areas that do not meet the conditions for construction; traffic works; technical works; urban symbols.

A corner of Ho Chi Minh City. Illustration photo

Regarding architectural requirements for the old quarter, it is necessary to review and stipulate in the Law a number of subjects that need architectural management such as old quarters, resort complexes, cultural complexes... with architectural values ​​that need to be managed, preserved and embellished.

Agreeing with the need to enact the law, delegates hoped that when the law comes into being, it will overcome current shortcomings and still be able to preserve its own identity. To do this, it is necessary to pay attention to the responsibilities from state management to investors and each individual. Not everyone can do anything just by having money.

Chairman of the Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children Phan Thanh Binh said that our current architectural identity is unclear, there is little creativity, and we just imitate what is beautiful. Architecture has tradition and modernity, and has characteristics, so it needs principles, not generalities.

Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Architects Nguyen Tan Van raised a series of questions: Why do we invest so much money but our architecture still lags behind and lacks identity? Why do many students and young architects achieve great achievements but fail to develop their careers? Why is our country so outward-looking?

According to Mr. Van, through contact with architects in many countries, he found that they can solve the problem because there are laws on architecture, even though the names are different. The Architecture Law Project submitted to the National Assembly this time, although slow, will correct the long-standing unreasonable points, open up a better working environment for architects and bring confidence in the development of Vietnamese architecture.