Consider and calculate carefully on prime land
Writer Nguyen Truong Quy was born in 1977 in Hanoi. He graduated with a degree in architecture and a high degree in communications.
He is known as the author of many books about Hanoi such as: Natural like Hanoians, Hanoi is Hanoi, As for who sings about Hanoi, Hanoi says it is usual, A hundred footprints through the gates... He is considered the "Hanoiologist" of the new generation.
Regarding the planning project to renovate the space east of Hoan Kiem Lake of the Hanoi People's Committee, writer Nguyen Truong Quy shared with Lao Dong reporter: "The planning to renovate Hoan Kiem Lake has been going on for a century, creating many changes. However, there will be many concerns when the project is being planned in the four corners including 4 streets Dinh Tien Hoang, Ly Thai To, Tran Nguyen Han, to the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports Headquarters at 47 Hang Dau.
Deploying a project with a public area containing so many people will require careful calculation and consideration, from how to arrange traffic to be reasonable, how to clear the ground, how to get in and out... Maybe, we have experience from planning walking streets, squares, festivals... But, I think we will still have to calculate very carefully with the project to renovate the space in the East of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Then, the buildings behind will suddenly appear, is it beautiful enough? We will have to calculate both environmental factors, then how the square or newly built construction cluster will face Ngoc Son temple area...
At this point, there is still no information for us to imagine how the project will be built after the site clearance of the "four-sided" area east of Hoan Kiem Lake. The discussions at this time are hypothetical.
Currently, the project to renovate the space east of Hoan Kiem Lake attracts more attention than any other area in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake is always likened to a golden land, a diamond land in many different meanings.
Buildings with a special mark
As writer Nguyen Truong Quy said, "cultural and historical relics create prestige, brand and glory for the land around Hoan Kiem Lake. If there were no such sediment, it would be just a pure commercial neighborhood.
Regarding the topic of architecture around Hoan Kiem Lake, writer Nguyen Truong Quy mentioned the names of the houses that he personally considers the most special.
House No. 3 Hang Khay, on the wall of the house stated to be built in 1886. In the book Hanoi period 1873-1888 by Andre Masson, it is written that in 1885-1886, Hanoi regulators proceeded to build a road around Hoan Kiem Lake.
House No. 3 Hang Khay was built in 1886, meaning that this is one of the first houses completed on this road.
Hang Khay Street during the French colonial period was connected to Trang Tien Street, commonly known as Tho Kham Street, and in 1886 was renamed Paul Bert City. After the August Revolution, the two streets were separated and had the current name.
According to writer Nguyen Truong Quy, the Trang Tien - Hang Bai - Dinh Tien Hoang - Hang Khay intersection is a well-known intersection, the first intersection to appear in 1885-1886.
Located in the middle of this intersection is the building 93 Dinh Tien Hoang, today the City Information Exhibition Center.
The building was built in 1934, on the foundation of an old two-story hotel.
The facade of the building currently hangs a painting by artist Tu Thanh, which is a painting of Uncle Ho holding a baby girl, below which is a slogan, "Rebuilding our country more decent and more beautiful".
This painting has been hanging since 1978 until now.
Writer Nguyen Truong Quy commented that the building at 93 Dinh Tien Hoang was built in the Art Deco style, very frontal with machant lines and philosophical sections.
He also highly appreciated the building of the Department of Post Office Transaction at the intersection of Dinh Tien Hoang and Dinh Le, as one of the works with a unique modern language since 1939-1940.
Around the cultural space surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake, there are many buildings with interesting architecture, such as the Vietnam Cultural Space Building at 79 Hang Trong.
This place was once the headquarters of the Tien Duc tri Khai Thu Association - a private association with the policy of cultural exchange between the Western and traditional Vietnamese academic trends in the early 20th century" - said writer Nguyen Truong Quy.
When the French built a road around Hoan Kiem Lake, they built a "Western Quarter" with many buildings with unique architecture.
At that time, Hoan Kiem Lake was considered a " joyful connection" between the indigenous neighborhood and the western neighborhood built by the French.
In the 1970s-1990s, many new buildings were built, on the panoramic picture of Hoan Kiem Lake area there were conflicts and complexities in old and new architecture, works 5-7 floors high, followed by a series of works up to 20 floors high at only 2 quarters of the lake, making the lake increasingly small like a pond.
Writer Nguyen Truong Quy emphasized that, therefore, it is necessary to consider carefully when re-planning.
