Hanoi – waiting for the new creative spaces
Hanoi was officially recognized as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in October 2019. Being the Creative City of Design is perceived as one of the strategic development goals of Hanoi authorities for the next coming years. However, the amount of creative spaces is still a small part of the development potential of the Capital.
The motivation for creative spaces
Easily to name a series of Hanoi’s creative spaces which have been popular recently such as Hanoi Creative, Heritage Space, Manzi, The Vuon, Saturday Coffee, VICAS Art, Hey! Hanoi. According to the incomplete statistics, currently, there are about more than 60 creative spaces in Hanoi.
Không gian sáng tạo tại Tổ hợp Hanoi Creative City
Hanoi, along with Ho Chi Minh city, is the land for contemporary art creation, and trendy services such as co-working spaces, business incubators, information technology and several other creative domains.
There used to be a noticeable creative space in Hanoi. It’s Zone 9. Formerly an abandoned, It was frequented by hip young people and artists. Head of Hanoi Propaganda and Training Commission – Mr. Nguyen Van Hong said that he felt so unfortunately for not preserving Zone 9 and believed that there would be more creative space built in Hanoi soon. Hanoi is getting more and more new potential places to meet the requirements of public space, shared space and promote creativity in many areas.
After Zone 9 is closed, the complex of Hanoi Creative City was “born” by the architect Doan Ky Thanh and his partners who are so devoted. Also, the amount of creative spaces has continuously increased. It is architect Don Ky Thanh who admitted that Hanoi Creative City has not satisfied the different requirements of the true creative space.
The creative space in the complex Hanoi Creative City
Architect Doan Ky Thanh stated that the shortcoming of Hanoi Creative City as well as some other spaces is the lack of not only inside-outside connections but also enough spaces for event management.
British Council researchers on creative spaces in Hanoi pointed out these spaces are the doorways to “creativity, knowledge, and skills in a friendly, supportive and inspirational way”. The public has got a lot of opportunities for self-discovery and self-development. To develop and promote the creative spaces, Hanoi needs to create the corridor by paying more attention to perfecting the legal system.
The expectation for an art quarter
The chain of individual creative spaces formed and developed significantly. However, Hanoi needs a broader vision. As a part of the creative cities network, Hanoi is a large creative space (including the big creative spaces and artistic creations network) which requires the strategies formed carefully by the city authorities and the strategic planners.
Many urban design experts, architects, and creative experts share the same opinion that Hanoi should have the art quarters even the art districts. Architect Doan Ky Thanh has the idea of reforming the vacant area along the Red River, and the old train factory areas into the art quarters. If the reformation can be carried out, Hanoi will gain the opportunities to catch up with the other capitals in the Asia-Pacific region.
Right inside the city, there is a potential area, Phung Hung Streets, to become a public cultural space, a truly creative space. Architect Nguyen Viet Huy – Doctor of Urban Planning at Paris Pantheon University closely follows the project on perforating the arches under the bridge leading up to Long Bien Bridge, suggesting that the city can take advantage of the stone arches under the railway, and two streets Le Van Linh and Hang Cot to organize public space, even expand into the pedestrian street to attract visitors. People in the capital and experts often refer to it with a name: “Phung Hung Mural Street”.
Despite being the part of Hanoi’s history and culture, Phung Hung Mural Street almost sinks into oblivion. So, the street, initially, only served as a task to attract dwellers to the new public space. Under the project of Hoan Kiem district, Phung Hung street will connect with the Ho Guom ecological chain, the Old Quarter area with a complex of arts, entertainment, trades, and services to create a creative space of Hanoi.
Besides, this street is also evaluated as a potential area to unite other public spaces and create a large network by architect Tran Huy Anh. The particular space in the center of Hoan Kiem Lake connected with the Old Quarter now will lead to Phung Hung area and even expand to the other side of Long Bien Bridge will come true.
“The successful opening of Phung Hung Mural Street will highlight the historical and cultural value in Hanoi, and build an attractive creative space for Hanoi capital ” – Architect Tran Huy Anh said.
By Ha Thu (Ktđt)