Valerie Bennett
INTENSELY HANOI BY HUGO HINSLEY
Top and above: Intermediate 2 Pavilion, Final Jury; Left: Render of winning Pavilion design
Hanoi is a fascinating city, poised on the edge of major change. It is full of the energy and optimism of a young and active population. How will it look in ten years’ time? What choices will it make in urban policy and architectural development? Now is a good time to stimulate debate about alternatives. We have just returned from our first intensive workshop in Hanoi, building upon our past experiences in complex and dynamic urban environments, as well as on our research about the global trend towards the development of ‘innovation districts’ at the heart of major cities. Each year the Housing & Urbanism programme runs an intensive design workshop with our MA students in a city which is experiencing rapid change. We usually do a three-year cycle in a city, collaborating with local architecture schools, and working in mixed groups of students and staff. Recent workshop cycles have been in Rio and Shanghai. In Hanoi we worked on the concept of a bio-medical innovation environment on a site just west of the existing city centre, with the aim of testing the potential to become an urbanised part of the developing city fabric rather than an isolated ‘science park’. Current proposals for this site aim to make it the largest bio-medical and bio-technology cluster in Vietnam. It is at the earliest stage of developing a concept and design – the best moment to become involved. The workshop runs for a very intense ten days – with groups discussing, drawing, researching, arguing, and then comparing and presenting their evolving work. It is a stimulating experience for us and for our hosts. Because we commit to a three-year engagement, the work can mature and develop, and it responds to the ongoing debates in the city. The three teams produced thoughtful and challenging alternative strategies and designs – it is impressive what can be done in such a short time. These were presented back to the city planners, the project architects and the university. Back in the AA we will develop this work, in collaboration with our colleagues in Hanoi, and prepare an agenda for next year’s work. One aim of our workshops, as well as providing a very rich educational experience, is to collaborate with city planners, policy makers, institutions and professionals who are working on aspects of the real situation. This is not to become ‘consultants’ to the process but rather to produce parallel research and ideas which may help in developing proposals. The experience of debate is important to the students, and can help in the actual situation in opening-up a richer discussion of the potential of both the physical design and the concept of the development. Hugo Hinsley is a lecturer in the Housing &
AA Summer Pavilion
Urbanism programme in the AA’s Graduate School
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