Hanoi speeds up renovation of old apartment buildings, renewing the face of the city

Many old apartment buildings are at risk of collapsing.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung (name changed, living in apartment building G6A, Thanh Cong collective housing area) said that because the G6A Thanh Cong collective housing area has recently been warned by the authorities to be in dangerous degradation - level D, her family has had to temporarily reside for nearly 8 years now, so she really hopes that the renovation progress of the old apartment building here will take place quickly.

According to Lao Dong reporters, the C8 Giang Vo apartment building (Ba Dinh district) was built in 1979, consisting of 5-storey buildings.Up to now, after more than 40 years of use, the structure of the building here is showing signs of cracking, many households have expanded and renovated the "tiger cages, bird cages" during use.Notably, although households have agreed to move out of the old apartment building, after many years of waiting, the apartment building is still "deadlocked" in the compensation, renovation, and overall planning plan and has not found an investor who wants to build.
In the capital, there are currently nearly 1,579 old apartment buildings (old apartment buildings) with a lifespan of 35 to more than 50 years, mainly built in the period of 1960-1990, concentrated in the area of ​​4 inner-city districts.After reviewing and classifying, there are 200 level C dangerous houses, 137 level B houses and 7 level D dangerous houses (highest level) that need to be renovated soon...

Accelerating the renovation of old apartment buildings

The Hanoi People's Committee has just issued a document requesting the Director of the Department of Planning and Architecture to direct and organize the implementation of measures to speed up the renovation of old apartment buildings. At the same time, the People's Committee of Ba Dinh District is requested to complete the submission of detailed planning, renovation and reconstruction of Thanh Cong, Ngoc Khanh and Giang Vo apartment buildings in December 2024; Urgently study and submit for approval the master plan for renovation and reconstruction of the Ministry of Justice apartment building.

In Dong Da district, there are Kim Lien, Trung Tu, Khuong Thuong, Hao Nam apartment buildings in the first quarter of 2025; focus on completing compensation, support, resettlement, submitting for approval the investment policy for the project to renovate and rebuild apartment building No. 51 Huynh Thuc Khang in December 2024; Along with that, review and plan to renovate apartment buildings in Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung, Thanh Xuan districts.

Many experts and architects analyzed that the renovation of old apartment buildings in Hanoi is a difficult problem that needs to be planned and implemented systematically. Mr. Mac Dinh Minh - Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Construction - commented that the implementation of work related to the renovation and reconstruction of old apartment buildings in Hanoi is still slow, not ensuring the set progress.

According to Mr. Mac Dinh Minh, many current apartment buildings are not suitable for planning, such as areas with old apartment buildings that are planned as green spaces and parks. The planning determines a low target of 1-5 floors, but the actual population exceeds that. This makes it difficult to attract investors to renovate and rebuild apartment buildings due to limitations on height and population.

Speaking to Lao Dong, Architect Pham Thanh Tung - Chief of Office of the Vietnam Association of Architects emphasized that renovating old apartment buildings according to the compact urban model will make effective use of land funds. For example, instead of building 20 20-storey buildings, it is possible to build 4 40-storey buildings, taking advantage of the remaining areas to build schools, parks, and bus stations.

Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem - Vice President of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association commented that the Housing Law 2023 and the Capital Law with many breakthrough regulations will contribute to removing obstacles and difficulties in the renovation of old apartments.

However, he also noted that Hanoi City needs to soon issue guiding documents so that new points in the Capital Law can be quickly and effectively implemented.