Realizing the Red River urban planning

Convergence of many favorable conditions

Dr. Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem - Vice President of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association said that perhaps few rivers in the capital have received such special attention from scientists, researchers and architects as the Red River. Going back in time, after the capital was completely liberated in October 1954, the first research on the Red River appeared in 1962.

Developing the Red River will be the “New Development Symbol” of the Capital. Photo: Hai Linh

However, the highlight only really came in March 2022, after more than 6 decades since the first planning study in 1962, a project of historical significance, deciding the urban architectural appearance of the city with the name "Red River Urban Zoning Planning Project" was officially approved. More importantly, according to the project, the Red River space has been identified as the central landscape space axis of Hanoi, the main landscape space axis of the central city linked to the West Lake - Co Loa axis, forming the focus of the urban space layout of the Capital.

According to Dr. Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem, with the current position of the Red River, an area rich in potential for traditional cultural values, a place containing the legend of the capital Thang Long, an attractive destination at home and abroad, and at the same time a place where tens of thousands of people live... Therefore, more than ever, this is the right time for the Red River to rise up to become a new symbol of development of the Capital.

To realize this goal, in addition to the above advantages and great potentials, the Red River has also received much attention from the Central level to the City. In particular, it is necessary to mention the directions and orientations in Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW dated May 5, 2022; Conclusion No. 80-KL/TW dated May 24, 2024 of the Politburo. Accordingly, the Politburo emphasized that the Capital needs to focus on studying the development plan of the Red River axis so that the Red River is truly the development center of the Capital with a harmonious distribution of ecological spaces, cultural and historical spaces, green spaces, modern urban spaces on both sides of the river, contributing to creating a new look for the capital of culture - civilization - modernity, with the goal that the Red River development space will be the "New development symbol" of the Capital.

In addition, a notable point in the 2024 Capital Law recently passed by the 15th National Assembly also stated that focusing resources and prioritizing the implementation of the Red River zoning plan in accordance with the Hanoi Capital Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 and the Project to adjust the overall Hanoi Capital Master Plan to 2045, with a vision to 2065.

Specifically, the 2024 Capital Law allows the construction of cultural industrial centers on river banks and sandbanks of the Red River; the use and exploitation of agricultural land funds on river banks and sandbanks on diked rivers for agricultural production, ecological agricultural production, agriculture combined with tourism, and experiential education, ensuring the principle that construction on agricultural land on river banks and sandbanks on diked rivers must be consistent with flood prevention and control planning of diked rivers, dike planning, construction planning, and other related planning.

Along with that, Dr. Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem added that the Capital Law 2024 has been supplemented by assigning the authority to the City People's Council to develop specific regulations and the City People's Committee to approve decisions on construction works on riverbanks. Obviously, these new regulations are favorable conditions, an important legal framework to both ensure disaster prevention and control and effectively exploit land funds on riverbanks in Hanoi.

People agree

The Red River, especially the middle sandbank area, has a large land area, an advantage that nature has bestowed upon Hanoi. The Red River sandbank is under the management of many districts. However, the area with the most valuable landscape and cultural development is the middle sandbank area belonging to the wards: Yen Phu, Tu Lien, Nhat Tan (Tay Ho district); Phuc Xa (Ba Dinh district); Phuc Tan, Chuong Duong (Hoan Kiem district); Ngoc Thuy (Long Bien district) ...

Ms. Nguyen Mai Vy, Nhat Tan Ward, Tay Ho District said: My family and friends often go on trips to explore the landscape of the sandbank and the Red River rock bank. Through research, especially field trips, we can see that the sandbank possesses a large, natural green space with a lot of potential and room for development. However, getting to the sandbank area of ​​the Red River is not simple, even quite difficult to travel. To access this area like the locals, visitors must use personal vehicles to go up Long Bien Bridge and then go down the slope on the side of the bridge. From here, continue to weave through the narrow roads to visit the beautiful scenery of the sandbank in the Red River.

"Due to the need for space and entertainment, not only my family and friends, but also hundreds of people come here every day to explore the wild and majestic beauty of this place in areas such as the middle beach, the floating beach, and the Red River rock beach. Therefore, when hearing that the city as well as the districts of Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, and Long Bien are interested in planning the Red River beach into a multifunctional cultural park, many people agreed to support it, especially those who are passionate about experiencing and exploring tourism" - Ms. Nguyen Mai Vy said.

According to many visitors to this area, the current situation around the Red River's mid-bank area still has some problems, such as the situation of people encroaching on the mid-bank area to build for personal purposes, making the riverbank area dirty and messy.... Therefore, it is extremely necessary to soon implement a systematic and systematic planning for this area. This will contribute significantly to the ability of state agencies to manage in a synchronous manner in the exploitation, as well as use the land fund of the mid-bank area reasonably and effectively for the benefit of the community.

According to the opinions of the people and experts, the issue of planning and especially the implementation of planning with large-scale projects needs to be respected, as well as to preserve the unique natural beauty of this place. At the same time, concreting should be avoided to protect the ecosystem; landscape planning should adapt to the hydrology of the Red River, and optimally exploit the natural environment landscape...

 

Based on the direction of the Central Committee, the Politburo, the Hanoi People's Committee has directed the four districts of Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, and Long Bien to strengthen research activities to maximize the potential advantages of the Red River, turning this place into a new symbol of development of the capital. To implement the above policy, the four districts jointly organized and launched a competition for ideas on planning a multi-functional cultural park in the floating and mid-bank areas of the Red River.

It is noted that up to this point, many individuals and organizations have responded to participate in the contest. This will be a valuable source of information for the 4 districts to summarize and refer to, so that they can include it in detailed planning to gradually realize the goal of developing the Red River to truly be a new symbol of the capital Hanoi.

Master, Architect Nguyen Toan Thang - Head of Urban Management Department, Hoan Kiem District

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/hien-thuc-hoa-quy-hoach-do-thi-song-hong.html