Project description by regional jury

Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, is among the most polluted cities in the world, with devastating effects on the environment and on the health of its citizens. Green Lungs Hanoi is a volunteer-initiated project that plans to restore subtropical forests on Banana Island, a 26-hectare parcel of land in the middle of Red River, in the attempt to bring more greenery into the urban area. Unlike public parks and botanical gardens, the project seeks to develop a self-sustained ecosystem through the reconstitution of the local flora and fauna and the promotion of biodiversity, in addition to addressing seasonal flooding and soil erosion.

The strategy pursued is to combat the ongoing biotic homogenization phenomenon, which results in native species being gradually replaced by invasive cosmopolitan species and causes a drastic alteration in the ecosystem together with a loss of regional biodiversity. The forest re-creation is conceived as an open-air laboratory that involves the citizens as caretakers and main actors of change. The forest will have the capacity to sequester more than 400kg of carbon per day for each hectare. The forest stimulates economic growth on the two riverbanks and offers educational opportunities for the city.

Regional jury appraisal

The Holcim Awards jury Asia Pacific recognized the clear relevance of this proposal for Hanoi and highly commended the manner in which the landscape design is deployed to reconcile the urban and natural environment. The project offers a needed ecological and social twist that further engages with sustainability under many other aspects, which in turn generate highly positive impacts at the local and global scale. The pedagogical vocation of the park, meant to serve as an instrument for promoting conservation education, was also very much appreciated.

Global jury appraisal

In Hanoi, where human action and urban densification have taken a heavy toll on the natural habitat, this proposal stands out as a bold act of awareness that calls for urgent attention on the recognition of green infrastructure in Vietnam. The jury commended the very clear regenerative approach that, through the gradual restoration of secondary subtropical forests in the vicinity of the urban area, aims to produce a series of positive environmental benefits while acting as a social and economic catalyst for the city. The jury also applauded the great public engagement and pedagogical purpose of the intervention that becomes the bearer of a clear message: cities and their inhabitants can play a key role in improving life quality, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.