As scheduled, Nguyen Hue flower street

However, as you walk along Nguyen Hue Street, hearing the rumbling of concrete mixers and the sound of hammers striking the steel cages inside the fences emblazoned with "Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2024," you truly feel that Tet is very near!

No "gold," no "diamonds," yet still setting a record.

At 9 a.m. on January 26th, Nguyen Hue Street was scorching hot. With each red light for pedestrians crossing the intersections, people hurried to find a shady spot under a tree or the shadow of a nearby building for temporary shelter. But inside the construction barriers for the Nguyen Hue flower street project for the 2024 Year of the Dragon, hundreds of workers were still busy laying tiles, connecting electricity, and carefully placing small potted plants in their correct positions…

Mr. TT, a security guard at the construction site, said that according to the schedule, the shift was supposed to start at 8 a.m., but from around 7 a.m., the workers were already present, preparing machinery and equipment to begin work. Everyone took advantage of the cool morning air, which made them work more efficiently, and also because of the tight deadline and the contractor's pressure to speed up the progress.

Along Nguyen Hue Street, the construction is divided into three sections. Near the intersection of Nguyen Hue and Le Loi, a group of workers are assembling the sculpted mascot. A little further down, towards Ton Duc Thang Street, the contractor is working on the dragon boat, and at the very top is the assembly of the dragon's body.

Construction units are working intensively on the Nguyen Hue flower street project in 2024.

Working quickly, Mr. Huynh Thanh Hoang plastered cement onto each brick to create the flower garden, occasionally calling out to his fellow workers to add more water to the mortar. This was his first year participating in the construction of the Nguyen Hue flower street, and also the first year Mr. Hoang didn't return to his hometown in Binh Dinh for Tet. Therefore, not only did he want to finish the work quickly to avoid the heat, but he was also eagerly awaiting the day the flower street was completed so he could experience Tet in Saigon for the first time. "This year I will definitely go to the flower street to take pictures. I know from my experience; the design is magnificent," Mr. Huynh Thanh Hoang shared.

Above, the iron frames of the dragon mascots are already in place, occupying the entire pedestrian area. These are the "skeletons" of the three mascots, each over 100 meters long, at the main entrance gate (Nguyen Hue - Le Loi intersection) and the closing gate (Nguyen Hue - Ton Duc Thang intersection). Saigontourist Group, the flower street organizers, previously announced that these would set a record for the largest zodiac animal ever featured on a flower street, surpassing the 2012 Year of the Dragon dragon and the 2022 Year of the Tiger tiger.

Not only impressive for the mascot's record-breaking size, Mr. Nguyen Dong Hoa, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist Group, said that the overall design of this year's Nguyen Hue flower street is very grand and unique. After the theme was approved, starting in April 2023, Saigontourist developed the design brief and invited all design units nationwide to participate.

All the artistic designs featured unique, elevated structures, so much so that upon receiving the blueprints, Saigontourist Group had to discuss them with the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department of Construction, and the design unit to determine whether these imaginative designs were practical and whether it was feasible to actually bring the beautiful mascots to life on the flower street.

The organizers had to invite seven different units to contribute design ideas for the three main displays from the very beginning of the planning process. They then selected nine construction units, including three for the main displays, three for the smaller displays, and three for the flower suppliers. It is estimated that the cost of completing each mascot on the flower street this year will be five times higher than in previous years.

Perspective view of Nguyen Hue flower street 2024

Notably, despite its enormous scale and cost, fundraising for this year's flower street has faced numerous challenges. "In the current difficult economic climate, the program failed to find diamond or gold sponsors as in previous years. However, thanks to the joint efforts and support of the business community, the flower street has still secured the necessary funding to proceed, continuing to be a popular spring destination for residents and tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City," Mr. Nguyen Dong Hoa shared.

Working together for a green city.

More than just a symbol of spring, Nguyen Hue Flower Street is also a welcome invitation for international friends to experience a vibrant and hospitable city. At the end of the 20th century, this street was also known as "Nguyen Hue Tet Market." Back then, people came here not only to buy flowers but also to admire, enjoy, and savor the unique atmosphere of the Tet flower market.

The sounds of laughter, hawking, bargaining, and the jingling of ice cream carts have become familiar sounds deeply ingrained in the city's life. Visiting Nguyen Hue flower market, receiving an ice cream cone or cotton candy from parents, and frolicking in the joyful atmosphere have become unforgettable childhood memories for many.

This year's dragon mascot set a record for the largest zodiac animal ever to appear on the flower street.

2024 marks the year Ho Chi Minh City officially transforms the new, specific policies and mechanisms from Resolution 98 into tangible products, serving the goal of economic breakthroughs and sustainable development. Green economy, green transportation, and green development are the overarching directions. In line with this strategy, the mascots and miniature landscapes of Nguyen Hue Flower Street this year are also designed to be environmentally friendly, with over 90% of the materials used in the cladding and shaping process being rattan, bamboo, and fan-shaped bamboo. While this structure increases construction time and cost, it reduces wind resistance, creating a "breathing" effect and aligning with green criteria.

For the first time, the flower street features golden trees, with 9 creations crafted by artisans from Mai Vang Rong Viet Joint Stock Company. These golden trees, ranging in height from 1 to 3.6 meters, were formed over several months and bear names conveying wishes for a prosperous new year, such as Mai Dai Phuc, Mai Rong Viet, Dao Truong Xuan, Dao Phuoc Loc, Bo De Dai Cat… Visitors can admire the 9 golden trees and, notably, compare the vibrant natural blossoms with the handcrafted creations of skilled artisans.

Notably, many of the artworks on this year's flower street will be retained. Among them, the three dragon mascots and two golden trees will be transferred to businesses and individuals who appreciate and are interested in them after the 2024 flower street event concludes. All proceeds will be donated to charitable funds, in keeping with Ho Chi Minh City's spirit of compassion and generosity.

Furthermore, this year's flower street also contributes to enhancing the role of the city's High-Tech Agricultural Zone. For many years, the city's High-Tech Agricultural Zone has brought many agricultural products grown using green and clean methods to the flower street. On Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2024, for the first time, the organizing committee has designed a separate area for this unit. Located within the "Spring Flower Boat" grand display, this area simulates the zone's research lab, where agricultural products are created through the application of new techniques and technologies such as fermentation, biotechnology, IoT technology, etc., along with other fascinating agricultural achievements.

The Nguyen Hue Flower Street for the Year of the Dragon Tet holiday will be open to the public and tourists from 7 PM on February 7th (28th day of the 12th lunar month) to 9 PM on February 14th (5th day of the 1st lunar month). Construction of the flower street will take place from 7 AM on January 21st to 12 PM on February 7th.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/den-hen-lai-len-duong-hoa-nguyen-hue-185240126194047023.htm