Tam Thanh designs community spaces associated with indigenous culture

Tam Thanh land with river and sea only a few hundred meters apart, very convenient for designing community space. Photo: PHAN VINH

Building creative space

Through the Ministry of Construction , UN-Habitat has sponsored the Tam Thanh Community Space Demonstration Project. The project is part of the overall plan for developing public spaces in Tam Ky City until 2025, focusing on concretizing models of friendly, sustainable and unique communities.

In Tam Thanh commune, the project will be implemented from April to the end of July 2025, focusing on renovating the spatial axis from the sea to the river - a traffic route closely associated with local residents - under the tentative name "Tam Thanh Flow". The goal is not only to renovate the infrastructure but also to re-establish the connection between daily life and nature, evoking a continuous cultural flow.

The project conducted a survey to consult people's experience ideas. Photo: PHAN VINH

Ms. Bui Thu Hien - Coordinator of the Tam Ky City Pilot Project shared: “Sustainable public spaces cannot be built with just theoretical drawings. We directly measured the traffic flow, experienced the walkways, felt the safety, aesthetics and convenience from the perspective of the people. In particular, more than 30 Tam Thanh residents participated in the survey, lively discussions about living needs and desires for practical changes in future living spaces”.

Survey results show that many walkways have limited accessibility, lack basic amenities, fragmented landscapes, and lack overall connectivity. Some existing dirt roads are muddy in the rainy season; public land along the coast and rivers has not been properly exploited, requiring careful research to both serve community needs and ensure ecological factors.

The road where the project will implement community space demonstration items. Photo UN-Habitat

Ms. Hutarte Andrade Maria Daniela - project technical expert from Guatemala said: “Tam Thanh flow is not only a physical traffic axis but also a connecting thread for the community, bringing culture from the sea to the mainland. In the design, we focus on improving the walking space, creating more stops, community activity points, increasing the ability to interact between residents and visitors. In particular, the reasonable exploitation of public land funds will open up opportunities to organize outdoor events, activating urban vitality”.

Based on the survey, the design team proposed to form a series of lively spaces along the sea - river route: art check-in points made from seashells, areas for organizing folk games, art streets simulating marine life, riverside walkways with improved lighting systems and green landscapes.

Project reporting to local authorities and stakeholders. Photo: PHAN VINH

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We want Tam Thanh to have a public space that breathes the spirit of the community. Each paving stone and each resting chair must not only serve a functional need but also evoke stories of fishing villages and sea traditions imbued with love.

Ms. Bui Thu Hien - Coordinator of the Pilot Project of Tam Ky City

Attached to the culture of the land

Unlike conventional urban renovation projects, the Tam Thanh Public Space Creation Demonstration Project determines that every detail in the new space must deeply reflect the local cultural identity. Not only must it be aesthetically pleasing, but it must also be close to the daily life of coastal residents.

The idea of ​​a boat carrying jars of fish to create a place to play the folk game "o an quan" by architect Ta Thi Thu Huong. Photo: PHAN VINH

According to Architect Ta Thi Thu Huong - a community space design expert of UN-Habitat, the project team chose an approach based on familiar images of Tam Thanh residents. The project did not copy rigid models from other places. Each design line must originate from the lives of the people. Therefore, images such as hearts made from seashells, art paths simulating marine life, or folk games such as hopscotch... were included in the idea to evoke the simple, familiar beauty of the coastal fishing village.

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In addition, the image of a basket boat associated with traditional fishing is also included in the design space as a symbol. The basket boat is not only recreated as a landscape but also becomes a place to organize the large-scale folk game "o an quan", increasing interaction between generations in the community.

Architect Ta Thu Huong - community space design expert of UN-Habitat

Mr. Khoi contributed ideas to the project at the meeting to develop the final technical plan on April 26, 2025. Photo: PHAN VINH

Mr. Truong Thanh Khoi - Chairman of Tam Thanh Commune People's Committee said that as a land bearing the mark of the sea, Tam Thanh wants every construction to evoke the soul of the fishing village. Whether it is a signpost, a resting bench or an artistic highlight, all need to maintain a rustic, close-to-real-life feel. In addition, the materials used must also take into account the durability of the harsh sea climate, minimizing materials that are easily corroded and faded.

The local government also pledged to provide maximum support for site clearance, environmental sanitation, and mobilize people to join in. At the same time, it requested that the project focus on expanding cultural spaces, organizing fairs, and small festivals to maintain the long-term vitality of the area.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam spoke at the working session with the UN-habitat project. Photo: PHAN VINH

From the perspective of overall planning, Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam - Vice Chairman of Tam Ky City People's Committee said: "It is necessary to consider the project not only within the pilot framework but also to consider the possibility of long-term expansion. Public spaces must be associated with community activities, with people's livelihoods, contributing to sustainable tourism development. More importantly, the spirit of community art and indigenous culture must always be the foundation throughout."

In addition, city leaders pay attention to designing play areas for teenagers, children, and the elderly; arranging miniature landscapes with basket boats, jars, and native flowers and grasses to increase attractiveness. Artistic highlights need to be arranged reasonably, ensuring a vibrant flow of activities even in the afternoon and evening.

[ VIDEO ] - Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam - Vice Chairman of Tam Ky City People's Committee shared about the demonstration project of creating public space with the Tam Thanh community:

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Instead of the rather broad "Tam Thanh Flow", we should choose a more evocative and emotional name, such as "Tam Thanh Harmony between River and Sea", which both evokes the natural interplay and depicts the local cultural identity.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Nam - Vice Chairman of Tam Ky City People's Committee

"The locality will arrange counterpart funding, proactively coordinate with relevant parties, create the most favorable conditions for the project to be implemented on schedule, contributing to making Tam Thanh a typical model for developing public spaces associated with the cultural identity of Vietnam's sea" - Mr. Nam proposed.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/tam-thanh-thiet-ke-khong-gian-cong-dong-gan-voi-van-hoa-ban-dia-3153787.html