Classifying old villas for the purpose of preserving urban architecture.

Approval granted for an additional list of 25 old villas.

Recently, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issued a decision classifying an additional 25 old villas in the city, dividing them into three main groups, each with different regulations and preservation requirements.

Group 1 includes villas of exceptional architectural and historical value. For this group, the strictest preservation requirements are in place, demanding the preservation of the original exterior architectural form, interior structure, building density, number of floors, and height. This includes houses number 224A and 224B, Dien Bien Phu Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3.

Group 2 includes villas that are also highly valuable, but require more flexible preservation measures. The focus is primarily on maintaining the original exterior architecture. This group includes: house number 17 Tu Xuong Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3; house number 179 Vo Thi Sau Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3; and house number 262ABC, Dien Bien Phu Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3.

Group 3: For this group, preservation and renovation will be carried out according to general legal regulations on planning, architecture, and construction. This includes houses No. 70, 72, and 90, Suong Nguyet Anh Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1; houses No. 2/8 and 2/32, Cao Thang Street, Ward 5, District 3; houses No. 182 and 299, Dien Bien Phu Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3; house No. 45, Le Quy Don Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3; house No. 151, Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, Ward 17, Binh Thanh District; house No. 155, Nguyen Van Troi Street, Phu Nhuan District…

In addition, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee requires individuals and organizations that own old villas listed above to comply with the principles on management, use, maintenance, and renovation of old villas as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 34 of Government Decree No. 99/2015/ND-CP dated October 20, 2015, on detailing and guiding the implementation of some articles of the 2014 Housing Law.

The old villa at 10B Suong Nguyet Anh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, is in a state of disrepair. Photo: YN

Challenges in the process of preserving old villas

To date, Ho Chi Minh City has classified 595 old villas, including 64 in Group 1, 249 in Group 2, and 282 in Group 3. These old villas are mainly located in District 1 and District 3. This is considered an important step in preserving the architectural and historical values ​​of the city, contributing to the maintenance of urban cultural identity. It also provides a clear legal framework for urban management and development, especially for old villas with historical value and tourism development potential.

According to architectural heritage conservation experts, Ho Chi Minh City has achieved significant results in preserving old villas in recent years. However, the implementation process also poses many challenges for Ho Chi Minh City in preserving old villas, such as: financial resources, as the preservation and restoration of old villas require a large amount of funding; conflicts of interest, as there may be conflicts between conservation goals and development needs, especially from private owners who want to exploit the commercial value of the real estate; conservation techniques, as maintaining and restoring ancient buildings requires high technical and professional skills, which are not always readily available.

Regarding the preservation of old villas, Dr. Dang Thanh Hung, a lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, believes that attention should be paid to the rights of villa owners through preferential policies. They could be allowed to operate businesses such as restaurants and hotels, using the income to restore the heritage, provided they adhere to preservation principles. However, specific guidelines on how to conduct these businesses are needed.

“People have their own opinions and their property belongs to them. The government needs to consider the people's perspective to understand and balance the interests between restoration and heritage preservation. In the management mechanism, it is necessary to clearly show them their interests. Establishing clear and specific legal regulations is essential,” emphasized Dr. and Architect Dang Thanh Hung.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-phan-loai-biet-thu-cu-de-bao-ton-kien-truc-do-thi.html