Brian Jeffrey
New Urban Regulations in Hanoi
The People’s Committee of Hanoi has recently held a meeting to unveil new regulations on architectural management and a development plan for the city that will extend to 2035.
Starting from January 10, these rules will govern the construction of tall buildings within the historical central area of the city.
Tall buildings are categorized as structures with nine floors or more, and the designated urban core comprises parts of five districts: Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hoan Kiem, northern Hai Ba Trung, and southern Tay Ho.
Construction Guidelines
Hanoi permits multi-story buildings along major beltways, central roads, key streets, and urban activity zones.
The guidelines delineate specific zones where high-rise construction is forbidden to preserve the city’s spatial integrity.
Restrictions on High-Rises
No tall buildings are to be constructed in areas surrounding Thu Le and Thong Nhat parks along Ring Road 1.
Moreover, to maintain open sight lines around the airport, high-rises are banned along Truong Chinh Road between significant intersections.
The skyline around West Lake and portions of Au Co Road will also see restrictions on tall structures.
In the western part of Yen Phu and along key local roads, additional high-rise projects are not permitted.
Specific roads, such as Giang Vo, have prohibitions against high-rise developments on both sides.
However, at the intersection of Cat Linh and Giang Vo, buildings up to 21 stories (76 meters) may be constructed.
High-rises are not allowed in designated green spaces and sports facility areas as outlined in the urban subdivision plan for streets like Van Cao, Ton Duc Thang, and Le Duan.
Other streets such as Giang Vo, Van Cao, and Hang Dau also have restrictions in place against high-rise buildings.
Designated Construction Zones
A notable exception is the area at No 29 Lieu Giai in Ba Dinh district, where buildings can be up to 45 stories (162 meters).
In several designated ‘urban highlight’ areas, buildings up to 39 stories and a maximum height of 140 meters are allowed, particularly around the eastern peninsula of West Lake and near Ring Road 2.
