Hanoi’s 14 future urban areas – VnExpress

Hanoi plans to develop 14 urban areas, mainly to the west and south, covering 176,708 hectares by 2045, which accounts for more than half of the capital’s total area.

At the Capital Planning Exhibition with a 100-year vision, Hanoi is displaying a map outlining the development orientation of these 14 future urban areas.

Overall, the capital will promote urban development towards the west and south of the city. The West is planned with 6 urban areas, including Hoa Lac; Xuan Mai; Son Tay – Tay Dang – Tan Vien Son; along National Highway 32 and the West Thang Long axis; along Thang Long Avenue; and along National Highway 6.

The location of Hanoi’s 14 future urban areas. Graphic: Anh Tu

According to statistics, by 2045, the total area of Hanoi’s 14 urban areas is expected to reach over 176,708 hectares. This scale corresponds to about 52% of the capital’s natural area. By 2065, the urban scale will increase to 201,060 hectares, which is approximately 60% of Hanoi’s total area.

Among them, the 6 western urban areas will cover an area of 34,622 hectares by 2045. Hoa Lac is the largest urban area in the west with 10,099 hectares. Its population is expected to reach 0.8 million people by 2045. The city designates this area to become a hub for high-tech science and technology, high-quality education with specialized administrative functions, and high-tech zone management.

In the center, the urban area on the right bank of the Red River will maintain a stable area of over 45,300 hectares from now until 2065. Hanoi expects the population in this urban area to reach 6.36 million people by 2045. Within this, the historical inner city and the expanded inner city will serve as the political and administrative center of both the nation and the city.

Hanoi will research conservation and reconstruction solutions to promote the value of the existing urban architectural space. At the same time, the city also wants to establish a financial district with specific mechanisms focusing on public finance, leveraging its proximity to administrative and political headquarters as well as the headquarters of leading banks.

The space on both sides of the Red River will serve as the backbone for the capital’s landscape, culture, history, and environment, with the main functions being public works, green parks, cultural facilities, tourism services, and entertainment. The urban development area in this zone is 11,425 hectares by 2045 and will increase to 15,488 hectares, with an expected population of 1.2 million people.

“Creating the image of a new, modern, civilized, and ecological urban area on both sides of the river, with synchronized urban infrastructure, combined with conserving and promoting traditional identity,” the Capital Planning with a 100-year vision states.

In the south, Hanoi plans to establish 4 urban areas, including Olympic; Thuong Tin – Phu Xuyen; Van Dinh – Dai Nghia; and along National Highway 1A. With a scale of nearly 14,000 hectares, the Olympic urban area is expected to become an international-class sports complex, centered around a stadium with a capacity of 135,000 seats, which has been under construction since late last year and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2028. All remaining components of the Olympic sports urban area are expected to become operational in 2035.

At the same time, Hanoi city also wants the Olympic area to develop into a major new urban area at the southern gateway to promote socio-economic development. The Olympic urban area will be spatially organized according to the TOD model, increasing the proportion of high-rise buildings, reducing construction density, and increasing green areas and open spaces.

The southern area of the Capital is also expected to host two national-level TODs. With a 979 km urban railway network, Hanoi defines TOD development under the “dynamics – multi-center – functional zone” model, aiming to guide urban expansion and balance the distribution of population and jobs throughout the Capital region.

The orientation of TOD development in Hanoi in the future. Graphic: Anh Tu

Hanoi expects to have 5-10 national/regional-level TODs and 20-30 city-level TODs. These two TODs will act as nuclei, forming dynamic development zones capable of spreading and guiding urban space development along main railway axes and key economic-technical corridors. In addition, about 120-150 local-level TODs will also be constructed.

The city also plans to create a reserve land fund for urban development with a total area of about 3,000 hectares across 10 locations, including the areas of Thang Long Bridge, Nhat Tan, Tu Lien, or the intersections of Ring Road 4.5 with Thang Long Avenue and Phap Van Expressway. These areas will not be subdivided to retain large plots of land. In addition, Hanoi also plans an additional 17,000 hectares for urban development in 6 reserve areas in the South, West, and Me Linh.