Bien Hoa’s urban development toward Dong Nai river

​(CTTĐT-Đong Nai) In the urban planning midterm report of Dong Nai province from 2021 to 2030, and vision for 2050, the consultant agency suggested turning toward Dong Nai river, in order to exploit the river's advantages to urbanize Bien Hoa city. 

Bien Hoa's urban area is heading toward Dong Nai river.​

​​Expanding toward the river

Bien Hoa city is planned to become an administrative center focusing on urban service, riverside ecotourism, medical and education. The city is also one of the province 4 major urban center with the main purpose is to become a main hub for services, and tourism based on Dong Nai river.

The consultant agency also suggested a new developing area for Bien Hoa, with its axis aims toward Dong Nai river.

 There are 4 km of Dong Nai river going through Bien Hoa city. As the river runs through the city, for a long time it has been treated as a “treasure trove", as well as the center to turn Bien Hoa city into a riverside urban center.

Architect Nguyen Manh Dung, former President of Dong Nai Association of Architects, believed that even though there are many cities in Vietnam have rivers running through them, only the part of Dong Nai river running through Bien Hoa city holds advantages other rivers don't have. “Here, the river rarely causes a flood; even when that happens, the damage is minimal. The huge and beautiful river's surface also allows urban development. Furthermore, there are a lot of historical and spirirtual architectures along both sides of the river banks, which are a huge advantage that not every river possesses" said Mr. Dung.

Mr. Cao Tien Dung, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, claimed that Dong Nai river is a province's major “advantage" in economic and social development, especially urban development.

With those values, developing Bien Hoa with Dong Nai river as its center is a step in the right direction. Beside, to utilize all of the river advantages in Bien Hoa's urbanization, it has to be carefully calculated in order to create densely populated areas to make room for public spaces. The urbanization also needs to be carefully planned so as to create symmetrical areas on both sides of the river.

Creating a new developing axis

 Dong Nai river is not only a beautiful background for the city, it also carries an important factor in Bien Hoa's urban developing. That is the riverbank's front area.

In reality, the riverbank's potential has been recognized by the province's leaders. The proof is that a series of traffice infrastructure projects and public riverside parks have been constructing for the last few years, such as roads, embankments and parks running alongside the river (from Hoa An bridge to Vinh Cuu district); along Cai river…

The provincial Association of Architects' Chairman, Mr. Ly Thanh Phuong, said that building a series of parks along Dong Nai river is “hitting the nail on the head".  Because, according to him, the river plays an important part in supplying water for millions of people; and by constructing parks along the river will help protect the environment and the water source. They will act as “the lungs" to filter polluted air; and these parks will also lower the amount of wasted water and wastes released directly into the river by the local's living activities.

Beside developing and creating public spaces, the river's potential in Bien Hoa's urban development is also exploited by establishing eco urban areas along the riverbanks. This is seen as the “key" to expand the city service industry potential; because for the longest time, the province, especially Bien Hoa city, service industry is considered under developed, especially high end services. Therefore, only developing urban areas along the river can only attract new services, especially high end services.

 Moreover, while choosing Dong Nai river as the axis to urbanize Bien Hoa city, we cannot ignore the importance of Hiep Hoa ait.

 Mr Nguyen Van Tat, an architect and Vice Chairman of the Council of Architects, Vietnam's Association of Architects, considered Hiep Hoa ait is an “heirloom" of Dong Nai and Bien Hoa city, with its glorious past and its large forest cover. “It is considered an heirloom, as an ait that big in the middle of a river is uncommon" stressed Mr. Nguyen Van Tat.

 Coming from all of the above, while planning for Bien Hoa's urbanization, Hiep Hoa ait is also nominated as the “core element", destined to become a culture center on the banks of Dong Nai river. ​