Another Future for Thong Nhat Park : public spaces in transition in the new urban reality of Hanoi

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In the spring of 2007 plans were released to turn the largest park in central Hanoi, Thong Nhat Park, into a privately owned theme park. The news stirred the emotions of Hanoians and a heated debate followed, involving park-users, professionals and politicians. The debate brought urgent issues to surface, revealing the multi-layered conflicts over urban space that come with the processes of globalisation and urbanisation. Due to land exploitation and privatisation the public spaces of Hanoi are shrinking in surface. Population densities in the inner city are now among the highest in the region, and a continuing rise is expected. Simultaneously the people of Hanoi are experiencing an increased scope of action in their usage of the public space, both politically and economically. New demands on the public spaces appear with new consumption patterns and life-styles, while politically there is still a fine balance between freedom and control when it comes to how the citizens are allowed to use the urban arena. The public spaces in Hanoi are thus experiencing increased pressure as well as new possibilities, and Thong Nhat Park is at the centre of this process. In our master thesis we are following the debate about the Thong Nhat Park project and relating it to a broader discussion on the role of pub...