Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners SKETCHING HANOI - Social Urban Design, Hanoi, Vietnam
SKETCHING HANOI is the winning project for the CON.FINE DESIGN competition, conceived by Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners, which explores the eco-democratic design theme. The CON.FINE DESIGN award is promoted by the Turin Democratic Biennale (2011), a public laboratory that reflects on the values of democracy, promoting sustainable lifestyles that minimize the impact on environment.
SKETCHING HANOI is a social urban design project conceived by Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners for the population of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. The city of Hanoi is quickly developing in the last years, but it is also strongly rooted to its traditions. Everyday life takes place on the sidewalks, that are considered as an extension of the domestic environment and the best place for social interaction. On sidewalks you can rest, have a drink with friends, cook, go to the barber, buy and sell food. This peculiar street vitality has become the source of inspiration for the Sketching Hanoi project.
Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners designed a modular cylindrical tin kit that can easily adapt to the multiple sidewalk activities, such as restaurant, barber shop, stall and tailoring; each of them is characterized by a peculiar graphic panel inspired by the traditional phone numbers printed on the wall near every stall.
The project aims to reorganize the sidewalks in the city of Hanoi without changing the local habits and rhythms of its citizens. The modular tin elements can be anchored to the sidewalks, so as to avoid their daily transportation; if necessary, however, they may be easily towed with a bike and re-arranged to accommodate the user’s commercial activity. A small photovoltaic panel is included in the kit; solar energy can be stored during the day for lighting up the LED shop sign during night hours.
PROJECT DATA AND CREDITS architects: Alvisi Kirimoto + Partners year: 2011
