Preserving the architectural identity of Hue - a royal city transforming into a modern metropolis.

Once the capital under the Nguyen dynasty, Hue has evolved through various historical periods and is now considered a rare urban center that combines folk, royal, colonial, and modern architectural styles; developing harmoniously between architecture, landscape, and culture, creating its own unique identity.

This was the assessment of experts on the story of Hue city at the scientific conference "Hue City in the Flow of History" organized by the Hue City Historical Science Association on December 10th. Former Politburo member and former Head of the Central Ideology and Culture Committee Nguyen Khoa Diem; Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hue City Nguyen Chi Tai, along with representatives from various departments, agencies, experts, and researchers, attended the conference.

The Perfume River is the main development axis running through the central area of ​​the heritage city of Hue .

When discussing the development of Hue city, experts emphasize the role of the Perfume River throughout its history. Dr. Nguyen Dinh (Institute of Environmental Technology, Disaster Mitigation and Climate Change) observes: "It can be said that without the Perfume River, there would be no Hue; and conversely, without Hue, the Perfume River could not have achieved its legendary status as it does today."

The Perfume River is not only a key factor in choosing the location of the capital city, but also a major development axis, a source of resources ensuring people's livelihoods, socio -economic development, and the environment; at the same time, it enriches "cultural alluvium," creating the soul of the heritage city. Furthermore, the rich heritage system intertwined with the beauty of the Perfume River makes Hue considered "a masterpiece of urban architectural poetry," forming the very essence of Hue…

The Perfume River deposits "cultural alluvium," forming the soul and essence of Hue, a heritage city.

Therefore, protecting, preserving, enhancing, and promoting the value of the Perfume River for the sustainable development of Hue city is also a matter that needs to be addressed. This includes continuing to beautify the landscape on both banks of the Perfume River; construction projects must adhere to the principle of not encroaching on or affecting the flow and flood drainage corridor of the river; minimizing the concrete paving of the riverbanks to maintain water infiltration capacity and a healthy hydrological regime for the river; and developing and managing a green Hue city, especially new urban areas, with specific regulations and targets regarding drainage space…”.

At the conference, experts and scientists also noted that, from a traditional imperial city, Hue has gradually transformed into a modern city while still preserving its distinctive Eastern architectural and landscape identity. The adjustments to its administrative boundaries from 1899, 1929, 1945, 1975, 1990, and from 2021 to 2025 all reflect the need to expand living space, improve governance capacity, and adapt to new development requirements.

One of the historical highlights when discussing the city of Hue is the official elevation to centrally-governed city status on January 1, 2025. Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Manh (Hue City Historical Science Association) believes that this event has profound political, cultural, and social significance, reflecting pride and affirming the sustainable development path of Hue in the process of national integration and modernization.

Hue aims for sustainable urban development as a heritage city.

However, along with that honor, Hue is facing many new challenges in harmonizing urban development with the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values. How to preserve the essence of the heritage city while still meeting the dynamic development demands of the times is a major question facing the government and the community of Hue today.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Chi Tai, Deputy Secretary of the Hue City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hue City, stated that: In the current context, as Hue aims for sustainable heritage urban development, systematic research into the historical process of the city, fully identifying historical and cultural values ​​and spatial structures, and clarifying the relationship between preservation and development is of paramount importance both scientifically and practically.

“This conference is an important academic forum to gather research results, exchange scientific viewpoints, and adopt a multidisciplinary approach to the urban issues of Hue. The presentations and discussions at the conference are expected to contribute valuable scientific arguments to serve the planning, conservation, and development of Hue in the future, in conjunction with the implementation of Resolution No. 54 of the Politburo on the construction and development of Hue City,” shared Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyen Chi Tai.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Chuyen-dong-van-hoa/giu-gin-ban-sac-kien-truc-cua-hue-mot-do-thi-cung-dinh-dang-chuyen-minh-thanh-do-thi-hien-dai-i790674/