Urbanism is defined as the way of life that is typical of city dwellers. Cities however, aren’t immune to changes, and often transform through reappropriation of foreign influences throughout history. It’s a shared mission of urban planners and designers to study the interaction of the city residents with the built environment over time.
On June 2nd, 2022, enCity members of the Hanoi office had an interesting and unprecedented chance to learn about Hanoi urbanism through an open discussion with Master of Architecture Students from the Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia. Instructed by Dr. Nurulhusna Qamaruz Zaman (Course Lecturer), the Malaysian students were seeking to understand urban transition throughout the history of Hanoi, its interconnection with foreign influences and the impacts on its inhabitants.
As enCity’s study area is very much related to that of the students’ visit to Hanoi, enCity members in the Hanoi office had a chance to dig deeper into our own living experiences in Hanoi old town. We analysed specific urban issues and problems which the Malaysian students were keen to explore, broadly from housing, living quarters, mobility and walking streets, family culture, economy, and smart city development. Through the perspective of the “outsiders”, enCitizen’s exploration of Hanoi urban transition was fresh and inclusive.
After sharing, the Malaysian graduate students will generate ideas and formulate strategies to bring about urban solutions for the issues they are researching. We hope this discussion will inspire them to create innovative urban solutions, with some helpful insights from the local Hanoians.
Welcome to Hanoi, enCity’s friends!
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