Criteria set for renovating and rebuilding structures around Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake

Any decision to preserve, renovate, repurpose, relocate or dismantle a structure around Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake will be assessed against a broad set of historical, cultural and urban criteria, the city’s construction department said.

Trinh Ngoc Long, head of the department’s architecture management division, told reporters on Sept. 7 that the study covers nearly 66 hectares in the Hoan Kiem and Cua Nam wards. The planning work concerns a proposed partial adjustment to the urban zoning plan for Hoan Kiem Lake and surrounding areas.

The guiding principle, Long said, is to follow Hanoi’s approved master plan, which looks 100 years ahead. Development around the lake should preserve historical, cultural and landscape values while renewing the area without erasing its existing identity and urban memory.

Because of the lake’s special spatial significance, any change to a building or public space will affect the broader landscape, Long said. Key criteria include historical and cultural value, architectural and artistic value, landscape and urban value, usefulness and development needs, impact on public space, and the possibility of preservation or transformation.

Buildings with historical or architectural value, or a role in the city’s collective memory, should be assessed by specialist agencies and experts in planning, architecture, heritage conservation and history, while complying with relevant laws. The department is seeking contributions from experts, scientists and residents.

The proposal would study Hoan Kiem Lake as a large square and capital symbol, linked with August Revolution Square and the Hanoi Opera House to create a “History, Culture and Art” space. It also calls for stronger connections around the lake, including an expanded Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and a proposed triumphal-arch landmark to the north. Local authorities will collect residents’ views through Sept. 26.