Connecting the pieces of the heritage urban puzzle

Creating infrastructure breakthroughs and promoting cultural identity are top priorities for all levels and sectors of the city when carrying out urban planning in localities that possess the World Cultural Heritage site of Hoi An Ancient Town.

Hoi An ward has requested the city budget to invest in several important projects during the 2026-2030 period, including a project to upgrade the embankment to prevent erosion in Hoi An ancient town. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Waiting for an infrastructure boost.

In recent years, Hoi An's urban infrastructure has made significant progress, but it has not yet kept pace with the rate of development. Currently, four localities—Hoi An, Hoi An Dong, Hoi An Tay, and Tan Hiep—are in the process of developing zoning plans, with infrastructure investment planning being a top priority.

With public investment capital allocated for the period 2026-2030, averaging approximately 90 billion VND per year, Hoi An ward proposes that the city budget invest in 10 key projects, many of which have an impact on neighboring localities. Some notable projects include "Upgrading the embankment system to prevent erosion in Hoi An Old Town," "Renovating the wastewater treatment system in Hoi An Old Town," "Kim Bong Bridge," and "Embankment to prevent erosion along the riverbank section from Cam Kim to Triem Tay"... According to Mr. Vo Dang Phong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An ward, based on the existing commercial land fund, the ward proposes that the city consider supplementing the planning for the period 2026-2030 with land plot No. 5 on Thai Phien Street to guide the construction of an OCOP market, a market for local specialty products, and the Bac Son Phong area to guide the construction of a high-end commercial and service center to promote economic growth and improve people's income.

Meanwhile, Hoi An Dong ward proposed being planned as a high-rise commercial and service center, an urban logistics complex, and a regional transportation hub ( Da Nang - Hoi An - Chu Lai). They suggested increasing the land use ratio to create a modern gateway appearance. They also proposed adding domestic and international marinas, riverside and coastal squares, a night-time economic service area, and landmark structures for hosting international events.

As a mixed-use urban development area aimed at relieving pressure on the core of Hoi An Old Town, Hoi An Tay Ward hopes the city will continue its plan to build a new Hoi An Hospital (on Truong Chinh Street). Locally, the ward will focus on mobilizing resources, exploiting land funds, revenue sources, and especially socialized investment from businesses to prioritize the development of coastal park clusters (Areas B and C); a multi-functional cultural park (Thanh Ha); upgrading the waste treatment plant; and residential and urban areas (Thanh Ha, Dong Na, Bau Oc Ha).

Specifically for Tan Hiep, given its unique characteristics as an island commune, the most pressing infrastructure need is to receive support for the early implementation of the Cu Lao Cham Inland Waterway Port project, in order to ensure conditions, increase capacity for receiving tourists, and serve the needs of the local population.

At a recent working session on urban and rural planning with four communes and wards, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Le Quang Nam emphasized that infrastructure must precede urban development. Localities need to prioritize and prioritize urgent projects so that the city can consider providing early investment support to create momentum for socio-economic development.

Street within a village - village within a street

Although the zoning plans for each locality are still in the process of being developed, the common thread running through the wards of Hoi An, Hoi An Dong, and Hoi An Tay is the preservation of the distinctive "town within a village - village within a town" characteristic that has become a trademark of the ancient town of Hoi An.

The orientation of Hoi An Dong ward in organizing its residential area system is to form a "city within a village - village within a city" structure, harmoniously combining modern urban features with the identity of a rural village. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Mr. Tran Tan Dung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An Dong Ward, said that the orientation in organizing the ward's residential area system is to form a "city within a village - village within a city" structure, harmoniously combining modern urban features with the identity of the countryside. The ward will strictly control construction density and architectural style to avoid disrupting the landscape of the buffer zone of the Cu Lao Cham World Biosphere Reserve and to preserve the heritage of Hoi An Ancient Town.

Mr. Bui Van Dung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An Tay Ward, said that the ward will also maintain the ecological urban model, organizing "gardens in the city" spaces. At the same time, it will renovate the administrative center to harmonize with the context and connect with the open spaces along the Thu Bon River. In the coastal gateway area and adjacent to the core of the old town, building height will be limited to 7 floors or less, while in the newly developed areas (Cam Ha, Thanh Ha), the maximum height will be 10 floors.

In Hoi An ward, besides preserving historical and cultural structures to enhance the historical character and cultural identity of the ancient town, the ward has a plan to develop a concentrated ecological residential area in the southern part.

Accordingly, new rural clusters will be planned with an emphasis on eco-friendly housing combined with resort-style facilities, creating a distinctive rural image. Simultaneously, themed park clusters will be planned around the Dong Ha, Trung Ha, and Phuoc Trung areas, integrated with existing agricultural spaces to create a clean and healthy ecological zone.

Listening to the opinions of the localities, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Le Quang Nam said that the Hoi An area possesses the Thu Bon River space along with many beautiful wetlands and ecological zones, so it needs harmonious, multi-purpose urban planning according to each season to adapt to climate change.

Local planning must ensure overall coherence, regional linkages, and the formation of multi-centered, multi-layered, and multi-tiered urban areas to maximize the advantages of each region. Furthermore, the planning vision for technical and social infrastructure must extend beyond projected population size to create space for future development.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/khop-noi-cac-manh-ghep-do-thi-di-san-3337137.html