Architecture

The buildings here are unlike anything I've seen. The city is a combination of tall homes with 5 or more stories, sky scrapers, and then homes that look like sheds. In the old quarters, or the oldest part of town, the government has put laws in place that restrict people from changing the old buildings. They have to restore the building if they want to update it, but it does take a lot to do. If someone wants to even add a bathroom they have to go through a lot of paperwork to do so. The photo below is of an old home located in the Old Quarters. It's a combination of people’s homes, stores, and a restaurant all in this building.

Even in the countryside the homes are the same style. I find this interesting because in America you have so many different types of homes from city apartments, suburban, ranch, and split level homes. But here in Vietnam they all look the same. They might have a different color on the outside, but it’s all the same! I think it was due to communism and what comes with that type of system.

The big skyscrapers are mostly outside of the downtown area where they are building a lot. These buildings are mostly very tall apartment buildings that are being built in high numbers. Hanoi is growing! There are a large number of homes being knocked down and remodeled around the city. It looks like the men who are working on the construction of the homes live there. They have clothes strung up around the building and are also bathing at the construction site.