Recently, one of the powerful solutions to help bring a new face to the Da Nang urban area is the expansion of the city's urban space. This right step has created a big push to expand infrastructure, attract more investment flows and all resources for socio-economic development.

Recently, one of the powerful solutions to help bring a new face to the Da Nang urban area is the expansion

Urban design based on natural elements

A South Korean mayor expressed his feeling when he first came to Da Nang that this central coastal Vietnamese city shows off a rich and unique natural topography with a peninsula, hills, rivers, streams, ponds and coastal sand ridges, almost like his hometown, so it makes him feel very familiar and close.

Perhaps, because of that, over recent years, S. Korean tourists often choose Da Nang as a favourite destination in Southeast Asia. During its development, Da Nang knows how to take advantage of unique natural terrain conditions to promote its own value in urban design.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tien, the Head of the Urban Board of the Da Nang People’s Council, said that Da Nang converges many specific elements of nature such as the sea deeply ingrained in urban space, especially the sea space in the east is very long and has direct access to urban space, all of which create the city’s own characteristics, suitable for the model of resort tourism and swimming.

Along with that, many hills and mountains are concentrated in the west, forming a screen for the city to rely on.

In particular, the system of hills and mountains interspersed inside urban areas such as Son Tra, Non Nuoc, Phuoc Tuong and Phuoc Ly, create favourable conditions for the organisation of urban green cores.

In addition, the system of rivers and canals is rich, in which the Han River flows through the city with stable hydrology like a silk strip spanning the city. This is a great natural element to organise the space for the urban centre.

The Da Nang International Airport is located in the city centre, but many tourists also think that this is a unique and highly-competitive factor for tourism development thanks to its convenience in transportation.

After becoming a centrally - run city directly on January 1, 1997, the Da Nang leadership at that time had a policy of developing the urban space towards the sea based on effectively tapping natural factors. In particular, the city has developed the central space with many high-rise buildings to create a new look for itself.

Urban space from only 5,000 hectares has increased fivefold at over 25,000 hectares presently. The main roads across the city are also gradually shaped.

Da Nang has improved significantly in terms of architecture. The city has boldly applied modern architecture, in harmony with natural space. Despite a limited number of heritage works, the city has still created many modern architectural works.

Over recent years, the city leaders have paid more attention to urban architecture while focusing on building many bridges with unique architecture on the Han River to create an image of urban architecture.

In particular, the Han River Bridge is a symbol of the connection between the people whilst the Dragon Bridge is the image of the city's far-reaching aspirations. Many public works, although not large, have created their own characteristics such as the expanded APEC park expressing the desire to rise with the kite-shape dome. The Museum of Da Nang has been restored and embellished quite successfully and many tourists enjoy visiting and taking photos during the last Tet holiday.

Creating urban characteristics

The process of urban planning development has brought many positive effects to the city’s socio-economic development. However, there are also consequences from this rapid development. Some areas have not developed synchronously, the urban structure is deformed and unbalanced, and some targets have not yet been met according to regulations.

However, Da Nang promptly recognised these aforementioned limitations and is currently adjusting itself with a new planning project approved by the Prime Minister on March 15, 2021.

Decision No. 359 approving the adjustments to the master plan for Da Nang’s major developments by 2030, with a vision towards 2045 has evaluated the city’s urban space planning carefully and given orientations to develop the city in the next 10 years in harmonious spaces with many breakthroughs.

Accordingly, many ideas for future urban development have been proposed, in which, the city is divided into 12 functional subdivisions, two economic development belts and three typical urban areas, namely waterfront area, green core zone and hillside, plus an ecological region.

Notable are the ideas of expanding the population from the centre to the suburban, hillside urban areas; the urban development of high-tech zones, finance, banking, high quality services and the exploitation of valuable tourist spaces such as Son Tra Peninsula, Hai Van Pass and Ba Na Hills, and at the same time combining rural and hillside areas to develop community-based tourism.

For the central area, the city has formed a ‘compact city’ model to improve the land use coefficient, create space for public and form high-quality urban areas. If the organisation is successful, in the coming time, Da Nang will create characteristics in terms of urban space, land use planning and urban utility.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, the Deputy Head of Architectural Planning Office of the Da Nang Institute of Construction Planning, in the city centre, especially densely populated areas, the city will rebuild the urban area to create a convenient space for traffic and ensure fire prevention and fighting. Besides, the city tries to make use of the remaining vacant land to create public green parks for residential areas.

As for the Lien Chieu seaport subdivision, there will be the seaport urban area developed in harmony with the community living space and landscape. With regard to the subdivision along the Han River and the eastern bank, a nightlife entertainment services will be developed in the Thuan Phuoc area.

The adjustments to the city’s master plan by 2030, with a vision towards 2045 in a serious, methodical and scientific manner will lay an important and decisive foundation to create new dynamics for Da Nang to grow stronger and more firmly in the future, realise the city’s goal of becoming a livable coastal city at the Asian level.

Reporting by DOAN HAO LUONG - Translating by A.THU