Interview

    You chose quite a broad ‘site.’

The city is our site, and the project comes alive by empowering people to make use of its streetscapes and sidewalks. We aim to capture scenes of everyday life.

    How did you approach the brief?

In Ho Chi Minh City, the streets are for bikes, cars, and traffic, but above all, they are public. Throughout the day their occupation and function changes, people coexist with the functions of a city in the morning, and at night they become public gathering spaces and extensions of restaurants, bars, and food carts. We chose to highlight this. We saw it as an opportunity to literally spread people out more by using more space more wisely.

    What tactics did you use to help encourage social distancing?

We would like to promote and foster social coexistence. Ho Chi Minh City succeeded by embracing the individual’s responsibility towards others and by adapting the use of public space.

    How might this approach, or space, evolve over time or be adaptable to different levels of needed distancing?

Our approach is not COVID-focused. We propose minimal, but impactful interventions, that aim to empower and encourage imaginative and highly creative use of space, thus multiplying and widening its uses.

We were inspired by the places and people that surround us. We took this opportunity to celebrate social interactions.

    Is this solution specific to Ho Chi Minh City?

Our approach is not site-specific. Rather than a solution, we examined how small scale interventions by the public can influence and enhance communal coexistence. We believe that it can be replicated.

    How do you imagine people using these spaces, in your version of them?

We believe this place allows for total freedom of its users. It transforms and morphs constantly, creating room for unexpected outcomes.

    What, for Rice, is the importance of public space?

That it is truly public and can be used to suit the ever-changing demands of people.

    Any thanks to specific team members or collaborators?

Just a thanks to the entire team here at Rice. We have people from very different corners of the world, and that always makes for great stimulating conversation.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the streets are extensively utilised. Citizens coexist with each other among creative and widely fluctuating functions within the city. We find the varied use of public space successful. Our project empowers and encourages imaginative use of space, thus multiplying and widening its uses. We propose to install minor but noticeable interventions, which accentuate readymade practices, such as: extra movable furniture; installation of street-side access to the grid; and expanded uses of pavements, and sidewalks.

"Nothing in the world is more simple and cheaper than making cities that provide better for people." – Jan Gehl

Interview

    You chose quite a broad ‘site.’

The city is our site, and the project comes alive by empowering people to make use of its streetscapes and sidewalks. We aim to capture scenes of everyday life.

    How did you approach the brief?

In Ho Chi Minh City, the streets are for bikes, cars, and traffic, but above all, they are public. Throughout the day their occupation and function changes, people coexist with the functions of a city in the morning, and at night they become public gathering spaces and extensions of restaurants, bars, and food carts. We chose to highlight this. We saw it as an opportunity to literally spread people out more by using more space more wisely.

    What tactics did you use to help encourage social distancing?

We would like to promote and foster social coexistence. Ho Chi Minh City succeeded by embracing the individual’s responsibility towards others and by adapting the use of public space.

    How might this approach, or space, evolve over time or be adaptable to different levels of needed distancing?

Our approach is not COVID-focused. We propose minimal, but impactful interventions, that aim to empower and encourage imaginative and highly creative use of space, thus multiplying and widening its uses.

We were inspired by the places and people that surround us. We took this opportunity to celebrate social interactions.

    Is this solution specific to Ho Chi Minh City?

Our approach is not site-specific. Rather than a solution, we examined how small scale interventions by the public can influence and enhance communal coexistence. We believe that it can be replicated.

    How do you imagine people using these spaces, in your version of them?

We believe this place allows for total freedom of its users. It transforms and morphs constantly, creating room for unexpected outcomes.

    What, for Rice, is the importance of public space?

That it is truly public and can be used to suit the ever-changing demands of people.

    Any thanks to specific team members or collaborators?

Just a thanks to the entire team here at Rice. We have people from very different corners of the world, and that always makes for great stimulating conversation.