Nowadays, we are much richer than in the 1960s and 1970s, but to find a livable place with full urban human values, small, old houses in apartment buildings are still an option.

Historical heritage and challenging planning issues

Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Hong Hai emphasized that the apartment complex is an important historical heritage, marking a special development period of Vietnam's urban areas, especially Hanoi. Areas such as Thanh Cong, Kim Lien, Trung Tu, and Bach Khoa were the dream of many families in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. They represent a planning vision, with a reasonable population density, full of schools, medical stations, cultural houses, green spaces, and a convenient transportation system, allowing cars to access each staircase and... never having traffic jams.

An old apartment building in Hanoi .

However, the rapid development of modern urban areas has posed a big challenge: Should we keep or demolish these apartment buildings to build skyscrapers? Increasing population density many times over by turning 5-storey buildings into 25-30 or 40-50 storey buildings will put terrible pressure on the traffic infrastructure with already narrow public spaces. Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Hong Hai warned that this is the path that many large cities in the world such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila... have gone through and faced serious congestion. If we demolish them, we will not only lose a valuable historical heritage but also lose a part of the beautiful memories of urban residents. Therefore, if we build high-rise buildings en masse, we will turn the urban core into a "blood clot" in the flow of urban planning and development.

BID Solution: Preserving the humanity of the city

To solve this difficult problem, the research team of Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Hong Hai proposed two solutions. The first is to renovate with a limited number of floors to ensure construction density. The second, and also a breakthrough suggestion, is to develop BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) - Cultural Commercial Development Areas. Instead of building new or building high, we can keep the old urban structure like the old town in Hoi An or Nara in Japan to preserve the "soul" of the heritage and the humanistic elements of the city. Areas like Bach Khoa, with good construction quality, can completely become well-planned BIDs, where people and the government turn living space into business space, both preserving heritage and creating economic value for the government and people. In fact, these spontaneous BIDs have been operating - they only lack a city plan and a national strategic development orientation.

Sketch of B8 Kim Lien Apartment Complex by artist Tran Nam Long.

The most important factor in every planning decision, according to Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Hong Hai, is the "humanity of the city". If compared to urban areas in the suburbs, no matter how modern or expensive, it is difficult to attract "old-town residents" to leave their familiar, humane living environment. Up to now, no new urban area in Hanoi has the urban vitality, community cohesion and memories that "antiques" such as the old quarter or apartment buildings have brought. The book "Apartment Building: Finding the Dream of Paradise" clearly demonstrates this through images and stories about the vibrant life, the interaction of residents... All create an extremely vivid picture that artist Nam Long has depicted through his series of paintings. Because of this humane factor, many middle-class families with high incomes, even though they have bought new houses in the suburbs, still choose to stay in the inner-city apartment buildings.

Nostalgia, memory and symbolic value

Thus, the value of the historical heritage of the apartment complex is the humanism of the city associated with nostalgia and memory. Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Hong Hai likened it to the fact that Hanoians still like to return to their hometowns to celebrate Tet, even though the city has more conveniences. It is a return to the past, to their roots, to childhood memories, and spiritual values ​​that cannot be measured in material terms. The apartment complex is the place that preserves those nostalgia and memories, creating an intangible heritage with a strong humanism that high-end apartments never have. Simply because they are "too high-end", they are strictly guarded 24/7, preventing passersby, tourists, and street vendors (the objects that create the humanistic elements of the city) from entering.

Speakers at the book launch of “Community Area: Rediscovering the Dream of Paradise” on October 26, 2025 in Hanoi.

The combination of factors: historical heritage, urban planning, BID development, urban humanity, nostalgia and memory, Hanoi collective housing has crystallized in the highest value: Symbolic value. It is not only a part of the soul of Hanoi, a historical period of the whole country, but also represents the peak, even though it has just begun to be formed in a period. Retaining a part of the old buildings, old housing areas, is to retain the symbolic value of an urban area. From there, it is possible to develop harmoniously between the new and the old, between the modern and the traditional, and above all, that is the flow of history that humans have created over the past thousands of years and in that flow, the "water" element is humanity.

Of course, not all apartment buildings can be preserved. In fact, many apartment buildings have deteriorated too much and need to be demolished to build new ones. But there are still many apartment buildings that can be retained and renovated according to the proposal of Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Hong Hai. Apartment buildings are not just simple architectural works, but are part of the heritage of memories, part of the soul of the city and the history of Vietnam. Renovating or demolishing them needs to be viewed comprehensively, not only based on economic benefits but also considering historical and cultural values, humanity and especially symbolism. "Finding the dream of paradise" in the apartment buildings is to find the core values ​​of a humane city so that Hanoi can truly become a livable city. Because it is a place where people can blend in with the rhythm of the city, where its residents can live humanely and preserve the historical memories of the city as well as their own.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/gin-giu-khu-tap-the-gin-giu-hon-cot-nhan-van-do-thi-996009