Unlike Hà Nội where most new houses have a very historicist decorative design, such as this building,
the new houses in Ho Chi Minh City are more modernist if not just utilitarian. And while the houses in Hà Nội are most often painted ochre or vermillion, there is a much greater use of other colors in HCMC, like on this house:
As in Hà Nội, most houses are "tube houses" in that they are very narrow but very long, such as these three houses:
Although I haven't confirmed this yet, it is said that these lots are narrow because property taxes are based on the width of the lot at the street line.
In HCMC, I guess (without confirmation yet) that many of the new houses are designed by young architects trying out new ideas, and this is very good to see. This in contrast to the usual utilitarian modernist larger buildings in HCMC.
There was one tall office building that I liked, but it too is showing a bit of the glitz common thoughout Asia in newer buildings.
Here is a new shopping center -- there are very few of these yet in HCMC (although it just occured to me that it could be a supermarket -- there are a several of those in Vietnamese cities.).
And this building definitely tried a new idea, but it's success is debatable. One wonders what it is like inside.
Here are a couple of examples of new houses in HCMC where I think some good design ideas have been explored:
And here is an interesting gate:
There is some very good original art and architecture being created in Vietnam, and I think this picks up from the sense of craftsmanship that the constructors display in making sure objects or buildings are just right.
These pictures and several others can be viewed by clicking on this photo album. Click on the first or top picture in the album and then click "next" on each photo to proceed though the album in slide show fashion.
