A quick contest seeking fresh thinking about Hanoi's post-industrial heritage: old factories to renovate for better use and image. 

Supported by UNESCO, the international competition entitled "72hr Idea Competition - Rethinking the modern dream of Recent Past” is open for all contestants until December 5. The event is within the framework of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2022.

The banner of the 72hr Idea Competition - Rethinking the modern dream of Recent Past

Participants have to select an industrial site and propose plans to renovate or reuse the space, where the architectural, cultural, and social value would be carefully considered in the urban context.

The competition is open to everyone. There is no limit on the number or age of participants per team. Teams are strongly encouraged to be multidisciplinary in terms of site themes.

Prizes valued between VND3 million (US$120) and VND30 million will be given to the winners who will be available on December 19. Selected works will be exhibited at the Hanoi Festival of Creative Design 2023.

Registration for the contest starts on November 16 at http://bit.ly/3ExupQE. 

Hanoi’s factories, once nodes of modernization that catapulted the city’s rapid urban transformation, have quickly been relocated due to urban growth since the early 21st century. Seemingly forgotten remnants in the heart of a dynamic city, as many as 117 facilities have been or are slated for relocation according to city plans. However, industrial heritage continues to affect Hanoi in terms of architecture and social life. 

So far, the majority of the old factory spaces are used for trade complexes. 

Through the contest, the organizers hope to address some issues, including how to make the past facilities developed in a more humane, equitable, and sustainable manner. 

The “72hr Idea Competition - Rethinking the modern dream of Recent Past” is an initiative of the Hanoi Rethink Project, UNESCO Vietnam in collaboration with the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, Hanoi Adhoc, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering and Hanoi Architectural University.