COMMUNITY HUB FOR HAI DUONG COMMUNE, CENTRAL VIETNAM - INTEGRATING CIVIC SPACES AND HYDROLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Abstract

The Hai Duong commune is located in Thua Thien Hue province within a lagoon in Central Vietnam. It is far from the city and has not been supported by a water grid. For the residents of the commune, water for daily use is extracted from a pond located on a sand hill where quality is low. Despite being surrounded by water with the sea to the north and the lagoon to the south, their supplies of fresh clean water are limited and have few alternative sources. There are a few storms that hit the commune yearly and flooding is a common event where often many residents would seek high ground or taller concrete buildings such as schools and the communal office for shelter. Many rely on the commune office for aid and assistance in times of need such as during natural calamities (storms and floods) or aquaculture problems. Residents’ income comes from agricultural production activities such as cultivating rice and water related aquatic products such as fishing and aquaculture. Agricultural water is extracted mainly from the lagoon, which is becoming increasingly polluted. They are relatively rich in produce with a strong aquaculture infrastructure, however economic activities are limited as the residents do not have a commercial centre and have to travel a distance to the city to trade their produce. In the commune, there is a lack of civic spaces for recreational activities, festivals and ceremonies that are held throughout the year which are essential to their culture and lifestyle. Hence, the thesis aims to introduce civic spaces for the commune integrated with hydrological infrastructure. The program includes a marketplace to the south, a community centre and a ceremony pavilion to the north. It aims to connect existing commune fabric, linking cultural, civic and commercial activities. Water is expressed throughout forming the common language that ties the intervention together.