Pacific Geographies (Sep 2010)
The Crescent District in Saigon South: A Showcase for Post-Modern Urban Development in Vietnam
Abstract
Vietnam’s metropoles have witnessed two major inter-linked developments during the past decade: First, the widespread erection of comprehensively planned new urban areas in the urban periphery; second, the gradual emergence of an urban middle-class population. The latter soon became the most important driver for advancing suburbanization processes into new urban areas. Meanwhile, residential suburbanization is followed by large-scale retail development driven by global players. The Crescent commercial and cultural district located within the largest new urban area of Vietnam, Saigon South, is a perfect showcase for these phenomena.
