The report, filed by US design and architecture firms Perkins Eastman and Posco Engineering &Construction, along with Jina from South Korea (PPJ), is a joint project aimed to guide the future construction and development of Hanoi.
The proposal focuses on an expanded central urban area, five satellite cities, and eco-system towns/villages as well as green corridor preservation designed to create open space.
The expanded central urban area will include two main parts divided by the Red River, surrounding Hanoi and expanding towards the No. 4 Beltway. The five satellite cities will be located outside of the Beltway.
The green corridor is proposed to include a central area with part of the southern area extending near Day and Tich rivers. It will cover a 70 percent area of the new capital city, leaving 30 percent for intensive development.
There will be 3 eco-system towns and villages lying along the green corridor, located at the main intersection with No 6 National Road, Lang-Hoa Lac Highway and No 32 National Road. PPJ proposed low population eco-system towns to avoid urbanisation.
The idea of the green corridor was impressive, according to a report about the comments made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The idea of a green corridor contains a convergence of 3 typical features of Hanoi: “The capital city”, “An eco-system city” and “A Knowledge-industrial city”.
The report also underlined important roles of the Nhue River in the overall development of the city. It will help to protect and promote existing residential parts in the expanded central area as well as to create open public space for current and future residents.
However, the national administrative center position cannot be identified at present and it may take several decades to move it towards the west of the green corridor. PPJ proposed that it could be moved to the North of Hoa Lac or to the West of Dong Mo Lake.
PPJ has suggested that the corridor be located in the Hoa Lac urban area because it has the transportation life line of Hanoi, thus it would be easier to connect to other public transportation lines. Also, it would not need much infrastructure investment and make less impact on Ba Vi, an important natural area.
Thang Long axis will contain highlighted cultural and historical spots and public transportation similar to tram lines.
In 2008, the Ministry of Construction inked a US $6.4-million contract with international joint consultant PPJ on planning the construction of Hà Nội to 2030 and visions to 2050.
Early in July 2009, Hanoi authorities reviewed an ambitious plan for the city’s evolution as ‘the first sustainable capital city.’ It is the work of PPJ, a consortium made up of the US design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman and Posco Engineering &Construction and Jina from South Korea. The Vietnam Institute for Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning (VIAP) also contributed.