Memories and culture
Hanoi is organizing to collect community opinions on the plan to adjust the planning of Hoan Kiem Lake area and surrounding areas.
Accordingly, the area north of Hoan Kiem Lake is expected to expand Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, arranging the symbolic work "Khai Hoan Mon" - inspired by the hawk wings that are rising, creating a highlight ending the urban axis of the Old Quarter and opening up a new space axis to the South.
On some forums, the idea of placing Khai Hoan Mon is receiving attention and debate from a large number of people with many opinions.
Sharing with Lao Dong reporters, cultural researcher and playwright Chu Thom said that the Hoan Kiem Lake area has become a cultural symbol of Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general not because of any single project, but it is the resonance of many projects such as: Turtle Tower, Pen Tower, The Huc Bridge, Ngoc Son Temple, Ly Thai To Monument... and the entire water surface and green trees around the lake.
According to Mr. Chu Thom, "Khải hoàn môn" is usually built on boulevards and gateways to the Capital. With a space imbued with culture and history at Hoan Kiem Lake, Mr. Chu Thom believes that careful consideration is needed because "Khải hoàn môn" can create a feeling of lack of connection with surrounding cultural works.
Architect Dang Thieu Quang said that Hoan Kiem Lake and surrounding works are cultural symbols that need to be preserved.
In my opinion, we should not build or demolish anything more. I am very afraid that in the process of building new works, we will inadvertently lose the memory and cultural identity of these precious symbols. A beautiful perspective, an eye-catching 3D model is not necessarily synonymous with an optimal solution," said Mr. Thieu Quang.
Projects by Hoan Kiem Lake must be excellent enough to promote the image of the Capital
Sharing with Lao Dong reporters, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, former Chief Architect of Hanoi City - said that the construction of "Khai Hoan Mon" next to Hoan Kiem Lake will certainly attract the attention and debate of people across the country.
If building the symbol "Khải hoàn môn" in the area of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, it is necessary to see how this project connects with the ancient town center such as Hang Dao, Hang Ngang, Hang Duong, how it connects with Hoan Kiem Lake, is it synchronized with the green space of Bo Ho post office, Golden Hotel, and the Red River axis?
When placing new symbols, the project needs to meet sufficient criteria such as: Civilization, civilization to be able to connect between the past and the future," shared the Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association.
Sharing from the perspective of a citizen of the Capital, director Ta Huy Cuong said that if we rearrange the space around Hoan Kiem Lake, we should not only ask the question of whether to build "Khải hoàn môn" or not, but more importantly, what to build and how to build it.
According to director Ta Huy Cuong, around the Hoan Kiem Lake area, there are works imbued with historical stories.
For a long time, international tourists coming to Hanoi have always wanted to explore local culture through iconic works surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake.
When coming here, visitors can learn, take photos, and promote Hanoi Capital - as a thousand-year-old city of culture, a city for peace with a long history, with many symbolic works.
According to director Huy Cuong, a project built by Hoan Kiem Lake cannot just be a simple "check-in" place, it must be a project that meets all the elements such as: Symbol associated with the history of Thang Long - Hanoi, with Hoan Kiem Lake, with legends, culture and memories of Vietnamese people.
International tourists when visiting this place, seeing that building, they must know, what story does that building tell.
Experts all believe that the project on the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake needs to be unique to promote the image of the Capital to the world.
It must be a project that continues the multi-layered cultural space of history by Hoan Kiem Lake, and also needs to be a solution to the economic problem in the cultural and tourism industry.
