Observations
1. Pastoral and Progressive
The combination of climate change and a rapidly increasing urbanization, poses a major threat to the safety and livability of Ho Chi Minh City. At the present, the urbanization still take place in low-lying and flood prone areas, like Saigon South and Thu Thiem. These large-scale city extensions make clear that the pastoral water city has been transformed into a progressive road city, in which the role of water in urban space seems to be played out. The current planning mechanism turned out to be inadequate to respond to the dynamics of water and urbanization.
The story defines the spatial organization of water bodies in Southeast Asian delta cities, particularly Ho Chi Minh City. The photo essay portraits an urban resident, his living environment and the way how he adapts to the modernization process.
2. Living with Water
Ho Chi Minh City has an extensive network of canals and rivers with a total length of
approximately one hundred kilometers. In the past, these waterways were the most efficient transport systems. Nowadays, they are polluted by both solid waste and wastewater discharge. Nevertheless many poor residents live along these rivers. Urban revitalization and the strength of water could minimize the socio-economic problems of the affected population.
The main characters of this story and photo essay live along the canals. They take us to the slum houses where they lived before resettlement to a new apartment building.
3. Seaward!
This observation focuses on the following: the dynamic relationship between harbour and city. Before colonial times, the Chinese founded the harbour village Cholon. Some old shophouses has been preserved; they refer to the extensive waterways in former days. During the French colonial period, the Saigon river harbour was integrated into the city. Currently, through a continuing internationalization, Ho Chi Minh City is moving towards the sea.
We describe the transformation of port areas and waterfronts, the qualities and how they can be used to reinvent the harbour city. Through a photo essay, the personal stories of the residents in the Cholon shophouses will be captured.
4. Low Land
The ongoing urbanization often takes place in the most vulnerable and low-lying areas of the region. In Saigon South water safety is at odds with urban developments. Although this new city extension is designed for wealthy inhabitants, streets are flooded during a heavy monsoon rain. The development of new infrastructure and buildings should solve the inner city congestion. But due to the expanding pavements network, the water storage decreases and the flood risk will be significant.
We portrait wealthy inhabitants living in new cities and explore how the global concept of new towns has been adapted to their local context. How do people live and what role water plays in their daily lives?
5. Climate Refugees
Despite the belief in planned modernization of Ho Chi Minh City, a contradictory development of unplanned growth takes place. This will be enhanced by climate change in the Mekong Delta, because sea level rise and fresh water shortage affects the livelihoods of millions of people in the near future. This will lead to a migration stream from the hinterlands to the city. Because of these climate refugees, open and informal places within the city will be used more often as a house, a restaurant or playground. The tension will increase between the formal (planned) and informal (flexible, unpredictable) city.
We explore the contribution of the floating people to the open spaces in the delta city. The photo essay consists of stories of immigrants and refugees about their history in the Mekong Delta and their future in Ho Chi Minh City.
