Development of a survey framework for the recognition of historic spatial values in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Saigon - HCMC is rapidly developed, the images of urban architecture have been transformed dramatically with large scale infrastructure projects, satellite cities, new residential areas inserted to the existing urban fabric of a 300 year old city. As a result, the already vague existences of architecture heritage, evidences of the city’s history, architectural values, culture and art, have been somehow neglected. Both historic values and on-going potentials but chaotic current presentations of those are perceived. They are, as a consequence, easily replaced by a new development projects whose investors pay more concern on economic interest than enriching local culture or respecting history.

Along with other efforts to recognize anf protect heritage of Saigon-HCMC, this paper reviews literature and practices in order to develops a framework to survey heritage and analyze their various values. It provides (1) bases to identify locations of ‘areas/districts’, paths/linears, and nodes that worth surveying in the typical 3 historic places Saigon - Cholon - Giadinh, (2) the survey form - the inventory. The Inventory focus on two component including (i) the current situations and (ii) the the evaluation of values those embrace. While the first component is mapped/recored at a time, the evaluation needs more data that explain its dynamics, the origins, orinality and potentials

Key words: Saigon, Cholon, Giadinh, Hochiminh City (HCMC), heritage, history, architecture, landscape, analytical framework, district, path, node