Expanding roads along West Lake needs to ensure landscape harmony
Hanoi City People's Council has approved the Resolution approving the investment policy for the project to renovate and promote the value of the West Lake area and the lakeside landscape traffic route according to the public-private partnership (PPP) method, build-transfer (BT) type of contract. According to the approved plan, the West Lake road will be renovated and embellished with a total length of about 13.5km.
The project also arranges square spaces, lakeside viewing floors, landscape bridges, West Lake wharves, parks, flower gardens, underground parking lots combined with services...
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Architect Tran Huy Anh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Association of Architects - said that with a water surface area of more than 500ha, West Lake is not only the largest natural lake in the Capital but also plays a role in regulating ecology and urban psychology. Regarding the option of expanding the road along West Lake, Architect Tran Huy Anh said that this is the "easiest to do but also the most easily damaged" approach. According to him, large motorized traffic axes should not be brought close to the water surface and green trees, because it can cut off the landscape, causing noise pollution and environmental pollution. He emphasized that the value of West Lake lies in its tranquility and ability to regulate urban psychology, so before implementing the project, it is necessary to fully and quantitatively assess the impact on the water surface ecosystem, air environment, landscape and people's lives, instead of just stopping at drawings.
West Lake renovation needs to put people at the center
Architect Pham Thanh Tung - Chief of Office of the Vietnam Association of Architects - analyzed that West Lake is not only the water surface but also the spatial heritage of Hanoi. The value of the lake lies in the natural shoreline, the system of ancient villages along the lake, pagodas, mansions, temples, shrines and the rare remaining open spaces. Therefore, expanding the road according to mechanized traffic thinking may cause West Lake to be "hardened", losing its inherent softness.
Besides, there is concern that West Lake will be turned into a "concrete avenue". According to him, the expansion of lakeside roads often leads to the situation of hardening the lakebank, increasing the area of concretization, increasing car traffic, expanding parking lots and promoting the commercialization of water surfaces. Many opinions also expressed concern about real estate pressure.
However, architect Pham Thanh Tung also expressed his expectation that the project will promote positive aspects if approached according to modern planning thinking, putting people at the center.
Landscape design along West Lake needs to avoid "roadization", "seawallization", prioritize pedestrians, bicycles, public transport and protect the natural shoreline, ecosystem, and spatial identity of the lake.
In addition, renovation should prioritize the use of ecological materials, controlling the height of works around the lake to ensure horizon and water surface visibility. According to him, if implemented in this direction, the landscape of West Lake will be upgraded while negative impacts will be limited. In particular, ancient villages, communal houses, and pagodas along the lake will not be isolated by large-scale transport infrastructure, and public space around the lake will also avoid the risk of being real estateized.
