Regenerating public spaces in an old living quarter in Vietnam. Location : Thanh Cong condominium neighborhood. Ba Dinh district, Hanoi, Vietnam

The purpose of this research is to tackle specific urban planning issues through community design in an old residential area in Hanoi (Vietnam). The discussed case is a typical old condominium built in the 1970s, which has lost its original structure since the urbanization and expansion. Unlike other condominium constructions belonging to the same period, the neighborhood of Thanh Cong does not have serious architectural degradation but rather suffers the consequences of illegal occupation of public spaces. Free markets, culinary stalls and mobile hawkers taking place everywhere during a day not only have a negative impact on the living conditions of local residents and on the development of community activities, but also result in the overload of infrastructures. On the other hand, such a small scale trade has also become a typical element of the cultural tradition of Hanoi as well as the main income source of suburban farmer families. Being a local resident in Thanh Cong condominium myself, through my own observation and scientific study, my purpose was to first define the issues at stake and then propose solutions for the case. I especially consider two main aspects: flexibility and dynamism. The major solution proposed as a result of the research and analysis is the “Discotech neighborhood”. Focusing on the main object, that is the common courtyards between buildings, which currently look like small urban commercial squares, I draw up a hypothesis of how functions and uses can be rearranged in four specific periods of a day, also based on expectations and preferences of people, in order to ensure mutual benefits. I also propose an activity program with aim to enhance the participation of both local and non-local actors and increase the social cohesion in the neighborhood. The goal of the whole research is to contribute to build a lively and - convenient urban residential area, where is worth to live.