Upgrading public low-rise housing areas in Hanoi

This project analyses the problems of Hanoi's public low-rise housing neighbourhoods built during the years of the subsidised economic mechanism of Vietnam's socialist government from 1954 to 1986. It proposes a broad scale approach for the improvement of conditions in those neighbourhoods. The investigative part of the project gives a brief history of housing development and housing types in Hanoi prior to and during the period in question. It explores the physical conditions of the public housing neighbourhoods today. It also describes the organisational framework which produced and manages them. Further, it explores the changing economic conditions and government policies in contemporary Vietnam and proposes an approach for neighbourhood improvement, including the refurbishment of houses. The proposals cover not only physical planning (land use, dwellings, community facilities, public spaces and infrastructure networks) but other aspects such as land tenure, home ownership, finance and neighbourhood management, all of which have to be addressed simultaneously. The project includes a detailed study and plan for an example neighbourhood: Truong Dinh.