Present at the Vietnam Exhibition Center (VEC) in Dong Anh, Hanoi in mid-August, the reporter recorded the urgent construction atmosphere, busy completing the final stages for inauguration on August 19, 2025.
Here, the National Achievement Exhibition "80 years - Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness" will take place.
In the middle of a large construction site of hundreds of thousands of square meters, the giant steel dome weighing 24,000 tons - the new architectural symbol of the Capital has been completed, ready for the official opening day, marking Vietnam on the world exhibition map.
From afar, the massive steel dome of the Kim Quy Exhibition Hall stands out against the Hanoi skyline. With a height of over 56m, a diameter of 360m and a mass of up to 24,000 tons, this is the largest steel dome in the world, all steel is produced in Vietnam, designed with inspiration from the shell of the Kim Quy divine turtle - a symbol associated with the legend of Co Loa.
The main hall roof of the indoor exhibition building represents the head of the Golden Turtle God while the eight side hall roofs represent the feet of the Golden Turtle God.
The dome is designed as a space truss, with radial rafters simulating tortoise shell ribs - reminiscent of the symbol of the Golden Turtle God in the legend of Co Loa citadel. Not only does it have cultural significance, the project also represents a breakthrough in construction technology, with the ability to withstand level 12 storms and level 8 earthquakes.
A representative of the construction unit Dai Dung Group said: “We mobilized more than 1,000 engineers and workers to work continuously 24/7, within 5 months we completed the installation of the dome with almost absolute precision. The allowable error is only under 3mm.”
Construction began on August 30, 2024, and the project was scheduled to last 2 years but was shortened to just 10.5 months to be completed in time for National Day on September 2, 2025. This is a rare construction schedule in the world.
For example, the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (China) took 3.5 years to complete, or the Shanghai National Exhibition Center took 3 years to construct. Despite the rush, the quality of the project is still the top priority.
According to the investor - Vietnam Exhibition Fair Center Joint Stock Company (VEFAC), a subsidiary of Vingroup , all items are strictly inspected. 100% of screws are double-checked, using 3D laser scanning technology to control deformation.
The most prominent of the entire complex is the 13-hectare indoor Kim Quy Exhibition Hall, 56 meters high, with 9 large doors and 9 multi-purpose halls. Inspired by the image of the Kim Quy God - a symbol of longevity and prosperity in Vietnamese culture, the building impresses with its blue-yellow main hall roof symbolizing the head of the Kim Quy, and 8 sub-hall roofs symbolizing the feet.
The interior spaces can be connected into a single interconnected space of over 94,000m2 - becoming the second largest interconnected exhibition space in the world. In addition, the complex also has 4 outdoor exhibition parks of over 200,000m2 (top 3 in the world), 3 international ballrooms with a capacity of 5,000 people, a 5-star Marriott hotel, a class A office tower and many modern amenities.
According to on-site observations, many auxiliary items such as a nearly 50,000m2 square, fountains, green landscapes and traffic roads have been completed. In the square space, VEC has just tested organizing two music festivals, V Concert & V Fest, attracting tens of thousands of spectators. The vibrant light and sound performances have turned this place into a brilliant "national stage", demonstrating the potential to organize international-class events.
Vietnam Exhibition Center has a scale of more than 304,000m2 of indoor exhibition area and 200,000m2 of outdoor exhibition area, positioned to become the largest exhibition center complex in Southeast Asia and in the Top 10 largest exhibition complexes in the world. Not only has a unique architecture, Vietnam Exhibition Center owns a diverse exhibition ecosystem with 9 indoor exhibition blocks, each block has an area of about 10,000m2 and a main hall of 7,000m2; permanent exhibition center (block A) and 4 outdoor exhibition yards, of which the North yard has a capacity of up to 50,000 people - the capital of music events, national festivals, international technology demonstrations.
When officially operational, VEC will be a platform to promote the “Expo” economy, creating conditions for domestic and foreign enterprises to exchange and promote trade, while raising Vietnam’s position on the global exhibition map.
According to the plan, the Vietnam Exhibition Center will be officially inaugurated on August 19, 2025, right on the occasion of the whole country celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day on September 2. The project is expected to become a new symbol of prosperity of the Capital, demonstrating the breakthrough capacity of Vietnamese private enterprises and the aspiration to reach the world. Notably, right after the inauguration ceremony, this place will be the space to organize the National Achievement Exhibition "80 Years - Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness", a major political-cultural event, displaying the country's outstanding achievements in many fields: industry, agriculture, science-technology, culture, art...
The giant steel dome of Kim Quy Exhibition House will become the "sky" that encompasses the 80-year journey of construction and development, a backdrop for Vietnam to confidently tell its story to international friends.
Witnessing the rise of the Vietnam Exhibition Center right before its inauguration, we cannot help but feel proud: from a desolate land on the banks of the Red River, in less than a year, a “steel wonder” has sprung up, ready to become the meeting place for the largest political, economic, cultural and artistic events in the region.
Previously, at the fifth meeting of the Exhibition Steering Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh emphasized: The exhibition 80 years of the Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness is an event of special significance, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Therefore, the organization must be solemn, in accordance with the Party and State's policies, with a scale, stature and significance worthy of the nation's proud 80-year journey, and at the same time have the appeal to attract a large number of people and international friends.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that relevant ministries, branches, localities and enterprises must be highly determined, make great efforts and urgently implement the spirit of "6 clear: clear people, clear work, clear responsibility, clear authority, clear time, clear results." In particular, the review and appraisal of the exhibition content must ensure quality, honesty, meaning and absolute safety.
The Deputy Prime Minister also requested agencies and units to mobilize maximum resources, work continuously 24/7, "working during the day is not enough, take advantage of working at night", determined to complete the items according to the direction of the Prime Minister.
At the same time, it is necessary to focus on organizing well supporting programs, regional cuisine, promoting the national image; ensuring reception, logistics, security and safety; widely spreading the message of the Exhibition to the People and internationally./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/can-canh-trung-tam-trien-lam-lon-nhat-dong-nam-a-truoc-ngay-khanh-thanh-post1056247.vnp
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