This project won Excellence in Urban Design, Placemaking & Public Space awarded by Singapore Institute of Planners Awards 2025
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Context
The vast and biodiverse midstream and floating islands of the Red River are a potential ‘green lung’ for Hanoi. Despite being a seamless blend of greenery and water, this area is facing pollution and ecological imbalance. Sustainable development of this massive urban green space can not only improve air quality but also create a vibrant living environment, connecting the two banks of the river and stimulating economic and social growth. Hanoi City needs comprehensive solutions to protect and restore the environment, while developing suitable tourism, sports, and cultural activities. This will transform the midstream and floating islands into a captivating destination for both locals and visitors.
Vision
The Dragon Park project was born from the aspiration to create a new green heart for Hanoi, where modern urban life blends seamlessly with nature and heritage. With its vast expanse, the park will revitalize forgotten waterways, becoming a new icon that connects communities and honors the capital’s thousand-year history. Its flexible design will allow the park to adapt to the rhythm of life and the changes of the Red River, creating a vibrant and sustainable space.
- Restore the river flow to improve the resilience of river systems and environment
- Restore the habitat of local aquatic and species of flora and fauna
RECONNECT A park that reunites the community and connects the city to the river
- Extend green corridors from existing urban parks and heritage area
- Extend existing urban street into the site
REGENERATE A park that regenerates opportunity
- Allocate major culture and nature destinations along North-South axis where it meets the East-West corridors
- Enable urban regeneration by relocating public lands into the site, and use their spaces for parks
Solutions
Unclog the blue, regenerate the green
- Developing in harmony with the ecosystem in two directions: North-South along the flow and East-West according to the terrain → Restoring the natural ecosystem in the North and the Eastern edge;
- Revitalizing the natural flow of the Red River;
- Diversity and stratification in plant arrangement based on flood frequency.
Reunite people with the river, reconnect places with green & active mobility
- Extending the main urban thoroughfares into the park to create 7 access points and diffuse green areas into the city;
- Upgrading and adding a connection route between the two banks linked to waterfronts, parks, and heritage sites;
- Organizing a pedestrian route that connects all the sandbars and creates a prominent feature for the entire project;
- Connecting with bottom-up projects in the area that enhance landscape and quality of life for the community, such as Phuc Tan forest park, natural education activities, eco-cycling tours, craft workshops, etc., as well as encouraging the implementation and expansion of similar projects in the future as a cohesive part of the planning and landscape orientation.
Generate new development opportunities and amenities
- Creating new destinations to attract tourists;
- Reorganizing public facilities from the inner city to the outskirts of the park to increase green space;
- Empty ground floor to accommodate public space and be a floodable area; Modularized buildings to open up view to open space and ease of replication; Tension roofs to connect volumes and create a covered ‘in-between spaces’ for community.
Partner: SIURA Studio
VI