Build the Model Residential Area into a great place for living

Model Residential Area in Quang Trung Commune, Thong Nhat District. Photo: Phan Anh

Implemented from the ground up

Since mid-2019, Dong Nai has issued a temporary set of criteria for model residential areas. This provisional set of criteria has basically stated the criteria on environment, landscape, percentage of households using clean water, households implementing 3 cleans: clean house, clean kitchen, clean alley, etc. Based on the provisional set of criteria, Dong Nai has assessed and recognized many model residential areas as a basis for further replication in the near future in association with the goal of building an enhanced new rural area.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, who works on the mass mobilization missions of Nam Son Hamlet, Quang Trung Commune, Thong Nhat District, said that the hamlet is in the process of waiting for appraisal, reaching a model residential area in 2021. Since its construction model residential area, the landscape here has changed a lot, especially the criteria of light, green, clean and beautiful. The criteria of electricity for lighting and planting of trees have been implemented by people very early, decades ago. People have consciously contributed to the light, green, clean and beautiful of the residential area. The residential area has also developed a common convention for households to follow.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cuong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thong Nhat District, said that building model residential areas in the district is associated with the goal of building Thong Nhat town to meet the district standards for advanced rural areas by 2024. From construction the advanced new rural area to to model residential areas, the implementers and beneficiaries are all people. The locality is very interested in the review and self-assessment of the model residential areas, which are basically met, but the mandatory criteria for water drainage, garbage classification at source, light, cleanliness, and beauty of the landscape, etc. still have to be done better. The goal is to build a model residential area as a standard for other residential areas in the district. The locality has invited the Provincial Association of Architects to participate in shaping and orienting rural and urban development in the spirit of specific planning. Here, the locality identifies planning as a very important long-term premise and basis.

Promoting the role of residents

Although setting a goal of rapidly increasing the number of model residential areas in the near future, the localities of the province consider quality as the importance not quantity.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Deputy Chief of the Provincial New Rural Development Program Coordination Office, Mr. Le Van Goi assessed, in practice, evaluating model residential areas in 2021 from production, the poverty rate, culture, infrastructure planning indicate that all the criteria are basically achieved. In fact, the basic model residential areas are already more prominent than other areas. The infrastructure is well-invested, people have done well 3 clean, clean house, clean kitchen, clean alley, etc. The results also show that localities have 2 ways to do it, but if the government does it, the road is clean, the alley is clean, but the house is not clean yet. Wherever people actively participate will create a clean and beautiful landscape. For example, only when people buy plants and flowers to plant by themselves, they will take care of them while the union only works according to the seasonal missions. In building model residential areas, the State's role is only to guide and urge people to make sustainable and effective renovations. Therefore, model residential areas should develop conventions that are monitored by the whole community, implemented from small issues such as no littering, no smoking in public places, etc. “The temporary set of criteria for model residential areas will continue to be perfected on the basis of actual implementation and contributions of relevant localities and departments” – Mr. Goi said.

Participating in the process of surveying and evaluating model residential areas in the province, Architect Ly Thanh Phuong, Chairman of Dong Nai Architects Association commented, when building a model residential area, the doers must be the residents, the State only has a guiding role, what investment must also serve closely the needs of the residents. The Vietnam Architects Association in general, and the Dong Nai Architects Association in particular, are interested in learning and researching to participate in proposing the development orientation of model residential areas. On the basis of actual visits to model residential areas in Dong Nai, opinions of localities, and views of the Provincial Association of Architects, in order to have an accurate and appropriate assessment, it must be evaluated on the basis of science and suitable to the reality of each locality. But the voluntary, the main contribution of the people must play the key drivers in the construction of the model residential area. The Provincial Association of Architects will accompany and support the localities on the point of view that must be based on a scientific basis, from the needs and the actual situation. In the upcoming orientation, localities need to pay attention to invest in more parks and sports areas associated with existing religious spaces to both use public space more effectively and create a connection between the past and the present.

                                                                                                       Phan Anh

Up to now, Dong Nai Province has 6 model residential areas finished the construction and 11 residential areas are in the process of being appraised and recognized as meeting the standard of model residential areas in 2021. Target in 2022, the whole province has 14 or 15 model residential areas. The province is continuing to promote the program of building model residential areas in association with the goal of advanced new rural construction.