Suggestions to promote the value of Long Bien Bridge - a symbolic work of the Capital

Baoquocte.vn. The preservation and restoration of Long Bien Bridge in the current context not only promotes its cultural and historical values - a highlight in the urban spatial structure - but also preserves a symbolic work of the capital Hanoi .

The scientific workshop "Innovation and creativity in planning, preserving, embellishing and promoting the value of Long Bien Bridge" was recently organized in Hanoi by the Vietnam Urban Development Planning Association in coordination with the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese, National Archives Center I, and Long Bien Bridge Museum Joint Stock Company.

Here, many experts, intellectuals, managers... contributed many enthusiastic ideas for the historic bridge.

The workshop held on October 25 in Hanoi attracted many experts, intellectuals, and managers. (Source: Organizing Committee)

Concerns about conservation

Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association Tran Ngoc Chinh said that after more than 120 years of operation, Long Bien Bridge has undergone three major renovations and many other restorations. However, due to the destruction caused by war and its great age, the bridge still cannot avoid serious degradation, causing traffic safety problems.

According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Chinh, the clearance height of the bridge has become outdated, making it difficult to meet the needs of waterway traffic. The landscape area on both sides of the river where the bridge crosses has not been planned to beautify the gateway to Hanoi's Old Quarter; the sandbank area in the middle of the Red River has not been effectively exploited to serve the city's residents and tourism .

Mr. Tran Ngoc Chinh emphasized: "Therefore, the preservation, restoration and promotion of the historical value of Long Bien Bridge needs to be carefully studied to find a direction for preserving Long Bien Bridge, because the architectural, cultural and historical symbol of the Capital has always had an extremely important meaning for Hanoi in all periods.

The process of preserving and restoring Long Bien Bridge must be viewed from the perspective of considering Long Bien Bridge as an urban heritage of Hanoi, and must comply with conservation criteria. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate how to reduce the traffic function, while gradually increasing the cultural function of this bridge to both preserve, restore and promote the historical value of this heritage bridge."

For former Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, the Long Bien Bridge not only connects the two banks of the Red River but also connects France with Vietnam, the past with the present and the future. The bridge is a historical witness through many ups and downs over the past 120 years.

Mr. Nguyen Dy Nien shared: “Perhaps none of us can stand to see a Long Bien bridge in such a state for years and years, while the war has ended for nearly half a century. Hanoi has and will have many modern bridges across the Red River, but no bridge can replace the historical role of Long Bien bridge.

Therefore, if we delay in restoring Long Bien Bridge, we will lose the historical and cultural value of the bridge. In such a situation, we need to take action as soon as possible to save Long Bien Bridge."

Considering that limited maintenance work is causing Long Bien Bridge to not receive proper attention, Dr. Architect Pham Anh Tuan - Chairman of the Vietnam Landscape Architects Association said that in order to preserve and promote the historical, architectural and landscape values of Long Bien Bridge, the work of organizing, managing and effectively exploiting the landscape architectural space will be a big challenge for Hanoi.

Original restoration or creation?

At the workshop, delegates proposed ideas and solutions focusing on a number of contents: Recognizing Long Bien Bridge as an urban heritage, the only bridge architectural heritage of the Capital, a symbol of Hanoi to have appropriate policies and financial mechanisms for conservation work, creating opportunities to mobilize resources and responsibilities of parties in the process of renovation, investment, management and operation.

According to former Minister Nguyen Dy Nien, it is necessary to restore the original design of the bridge with 20 large piers and 19 dragon-shaped spans to match the name Thang Long of the thousand-year-old capital.

In addition, it is necessary to build Long Bien Bridge into a pedestrian bridge, turning the bridge into a night cultural center of Hanoi, combined with exploiting the sandbank in the middle of the Red River, which will certainly be a unique point of tourism in Hanoi, Vietnam and the world. This is a "gold mine" of Hanoi tourism that we have not yet exploited.

Prof. Dr. Architect Doan Minh Khoi, Institute of Urban Planning and Economics, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, proposed a solution to connect Long Bien Bridge in both directions. Vertically into the neighborhoods, horizontally down to the Red River sandbank - where in the city's plan, a multifunctional park will be formed from the alluvial and sandbank areas along the Red River.

Accordingly, Long Bien Bridge will connect to this park through a ramp leading from the bridge down to the middle beach as a destination in the cultural tourism chain.

A new design image of Long Bien Bridge. (Source: Long Bien Bridge Museum Joint Stock Company)

In the project to preserve, restore and develop Long Bien Bridge and its surrounding areas, Long Bien Bridge Museum Joint Stock Company proposed to develop this project into a system of memory museums and contemporary art museums located on the river, one of a kind in the world.

In addition, the project also builds a tram line with the clanging sound reminiscent of the tram lines of the past, connecting the tourist routes of the old town, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and Uncle Ho's mausoleum. The tourist canoe route on the Red River will clear the dead river branch, improve the green and clean environment, and provide tourism services for visitors from all over.

To let the bridge continue its historical value

Proposing ideas for preserving and restoring Long Bien Bridge, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Architects, Dr. Architect Phan Dang Son said that the first step is to carefully carry out a master plan for the coastal area on both banks of the Red River, in which Long Bien Bridge is identified as a fundamental parameter for important and inevitable reference. This planning must create a worthy position for the bridge in any plan.

Regarding the organization of landscape and urban space architecture, it is necessary to respect the detailed planning that was formed in the bridge area since the French colonial period. Along with the study of the bridge complex into the landscape highlight, combined to create a harmonious interdependent regional space.

According to former Minister of Construction Nguyen Hong Quan, in order to preserve Long Bien Bridge, the Hanoi government first needs to speak up to propose that Long Bien Bridge be a heritage site, and at the same time, request the Ministry of Transport to soon build a new railway line to replace the railway line currently running on the bridge.

He emphasized: "The work of preserving the bridge is difficult and complicated, so it is necessary to determine the steps and implementation process reasonably and clearly between experts, investors and the government."

At the workshop, delegates also mentioned international and domestic experiences in the work of preserving and promoting heritage values, along with specific policy mechanisms to soon bring the project idea of preserving, embellishing and promoting the value of Long Bien Bridge according to innovative planning into life.

The beauty of Long Bien bridge. (Source: tuoitrethudo)

Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association Tran Ngoc Chinh believes that converting the traffic function of Long Bien Bridge to a cultural, historical, artistic and tourism function will certainly bring higher socio-economic values in the development of the capital.

At that time, Long Bien bridge continued to write its historical value and had a worthy position in the landscape of a green, smart, modern urban area of the capital.

Mr. Nguyen Phu Binh - Chairman of the Association for Liaison with Overseas Vietnamese, hopes that the valuable comments of the delegates at the workshop will soon contribute to realizing everyone's wishes for the legendary bridge, the pride of the capital Hanoi and the whole country.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hien-ke-phat-huy-gia-tri-cau-long-bien-cong-trinh-mang-tinh-bieu-tuong-cua-thu-do-247703.html