The Unique Square Of Thu Thiem Urban Area
By Da Ban
Defrain Souquet Associes, or Deso, recently presented its initial report of the 1/500 scale plan for the central square and riverside park in the Thu Thiem new urban area. Deso’s ambition is to build a typical public space for HCM City.
Architect Olivier Souquet from Deso has painted a beautiful picture of the future riverside park and the central square of the Thu Thiem Peninsula in District 2. Stemming from the natural waterfront landscape, the park and the square are designed to be different both in height to create flow from one lake to another, and in colors of earth, water and foliage. Putting the Saigon River in the foreground and the Thu Thiem central lake on the background, Souquet wants “water, wind and greenery” to be the prevailing element of the square.
Then how to make the square be in a “constructive dialog” with the Saigon River? Deso has come up with an initiative to bring the water from the river to the square. However, as the water quality is still in question, another option is being discussed: building a big reservoir whose water will be led to smaller lakes dotting the square. “This outdoor reservoir will be an architectural heritage because it creates a unique landscape for Thu Thiem,” said Souquet.
A botanical garden accommodating plants endemic to the area of Saigon has also been proposed for the square. With windy air coming from the Saigon River, ubiquitous water surface and shadowy greenery, the riverside park and the square form an ecological project representing the entire Thu Thiem Peninsula.
Combining different functional spaces—both for mass functions and for relaxation purposes—the square is capable of hosting meetings and parades. Movable stages can be erected on the river bank, which allows ordinary and military parades in which vehicles run on land, ships sail in the river and planes fly overhead. According to Deso’s estimates, the 432,000 square meters of the park and the square can accommodate up to 1.8 million people during peak hours.
Yet how will the park and the square be connected with the city’s historical center? Deso sketches out a plan to link the two sides of the Saigon River by two pedestrian bridges which connect the square to the Me Linh Square and the end of Nguyen Hue Boulevard in District 1. “The two bridges are like two arms welcoming Saigonese from the west bank of the river visiting the square,” said Souquet. The bridges will be designed to create architectural and landscape impressions unique to HCM City.
A representative from Sasaki, the designer of Thu Thiem urban area, praised the initiative to build the two pedestrian bridges. “They will connect Thu Thiem Peninsula with the urban quarters on the west bank of the river in a reasonable and feasible way,” he said.
Architect Le Quang Ninh said the square project is beautiful and romantic one. “However, it seems that the square is still lacking a connection with the central tower in Thu Thiem,” he said.
Architect Luu Trong Hai said high-rises may block the view from the square to the central tower. Hai suggested that the high-rises along the square should be lowered. They should also serve public purposes, such as movie theaters or circus stages instead of commercial purposes.
Commenting on the functions of the square, Hai contended that political parades at the square should be ignored. “Humanity should be put higher than political issues at the square,” he said. However, Hai strongly supported the two pedestrian bridges across the Saigon River, emphasizing that they must be of great artistic value typical of HCM City.
Traffic access to the square also attracted attention from experts. An official with the HCM City Department of Transport said traffic access to the pedestrian bridges as well as future subway stations from the square should be scrutinized. “How the traffic will be given the total number of 1.8 million people?” asked a participant from the railroad sector. He posed the question of how people from subway station No. 2 at the beginning of Ham Nghi Boulevard on the west bank of the Saigon River would get to the pedestrian bridges. As the subway station on the Thu Thiem side is only 200-300 meters away from the square, how the people flow would get moving, asked the man. He said in his calculation, the subway would be able to transport 30,000 passengers an hour at most. Given this fact, it would be difficult for traffic during big festivals.
Although they are big challenges, answers to all these questions will be given by Deso in the coming time.