“Over the past 50 years, Ho Chi Minh City has achieved many accomplishments, but the city has yet to fully tap its potential. Once Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau are merged into HCMC, this mega-city could contribute three to four times more to the nation’s economy and budget,” Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son told The Saigon Times. A new look, a new miracle The Saigon Times: In a 2021 interview, you said that you were involved in the planning of Shanghai’s Pudong area and, in retrospect, felt some regret regarding Thu Thiem. Has your perspective changed since then, and if so, why? After 50 years of development from a new starting point, from a planning standpoint, what has Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) achieved, and what areas still need improvement? – Dr. Arch. Ngo Viet Nam Son: HCMC’s urban development has advanced rapidly over the past 50 years. In 1975, when peace was restored, the tallest building in the city, then known as Saigon, was the 12-story Imexco building at 8 Nguyen Hue Boulevard. Today, the city is home to approximately 1,500 buildings over 10 stories tall, including the 81-story Landmark 81, which was once the tallest building in […]