A continuing interest to me is understanding how cities work or don’t work. What shapes cities and how is it that they attain their special character? And what elements of cities most influence their character?
Almost every major city has its Chinatown. Cholon in Ho Chi Minh City — spanning Districts 5, 6 and 11 — is the largest in the world.
Tramcar or streetcar systems were developed early in the 19th century to address exactly the same issues as we have today. The problem then was just as acute as it is now, just on a smaller scale. Their introduction forever changed those cities that adopted them, especially Saigon at the end of the 19th century, a metropolis which is still struggling with its public transport. We can see today the disruption in the city caused by the construction of the first — of a hoped-for eight — metro lines. We can look forward to years of similar pain.
A feature of colonial cities is the presence of recreational activities from the colonising country. Throughout the former British empire there are cricket ovals and rugby fields, polo fields and racecourses. Growing up in one of the former British colonies these were part of our culture, bequeathed to us by our colonial masters.
Many of us view rivers as background elements in our landscape, as open space, as a pleasant vista. In Brisbane the Brisbane River was historically seen — as is the Saigon River — as a place for the mining of sand and gravel, and of industrial transport.
