Chuong Duong Forest Park

Located outside the city's dike in a flood prone area of the Red River Bank, the neighborhood of Chuong Duong is inhabited by migrant workers living in complex social structures, mostly low-income people, with precarious and vulnerable living conditions. The informal aspect of the area with high construction density and many narrow alleys leaves people without common public spaces, and disconnected with nature, despite the river being only a few hundred meters away, with a migrant low-income population that felt not deserving an access to public space in the city with the same rights as any other citizen, living in an area that was once heavily polluted by trash and used as construction dump yards, with wastewater being directly discharged onto the land from the neighboring residential area.

The Forest Park project tries addressing this discrimination by bringing an open space for all where residents can feel like they belong to the city. Caring for the native ecosystem which is threatened by pressuring urbanization.

Chuong Duong Forest Park was designed following a series of collaborative community workshops with the local residents for all steps of the process. From survey, to design, construction, and management of the public space.

Today, the park is a friendly and inclusive public space for the community with more than 3,000m2 connected to a diverse native ecosystem regeneration area and a special location on the migration route of more than 140 species of wild birds. It features a community garden, sports court, exercise area with inclusive equipment, and several playgrounds. Since its completion in 2021, the park has become a landmark for the community and more largely the city of Hanoi. Communicating a strong message that every citizen has a right to access to decent public space.

Its community garden model managed by the local women’s Union not only contributes to improving the landscape but also helps connect the community and educate about the environment. Most especially women and children participating in educational activities, and local groups deciding what is planted: vegetables, spices, medicinal plants, and flowers. Parents also organise donation groups for the maintenance and upgrading of the space.

The Chuong Duong Forest Park uses the “forest garden” model, a unique juxtaposition of public space and ecological area, combining forest trees and crops, solving problems related to pests and diseases, and providing nutrients for the ground. The multi-layered canopy structure of the forest garden has created a rich ecosystem, contributing to creating a diverse, healthy and abundant food source for the local population.

Ecological landscapes are known to have a multi-dimensional impact on community health. With formats such as community gardens and forest parks, Think Playgrounds’ Chuong Duong Forest Park promotes natural regeneration, and enhances ecological diversity.