Plan for Landscape and Lakeside Path Renovation at West Lake

The leaders of Hanoi city have requested relevant units to submit a complete report on the plan for implementing the investment project to renovate, upgrade, and expand the roads surrounding West Lake in Tay Ho District before March 25.

On March 18, the Office of the Hanoi People’s Committee issued a notice on the conclusions of Chairman Trần Sỹ Thanh regarding the policy for planning and implementing the investment project to renovate, upgrade, and expand the roads surrounding West Lake in Tay Ho District.

Accordingly, Chairman Trần Sỹ Thanh agreed with the report and assessment of the Tay Ho District People’s Committee on the current condition and the necessity of renovating, upgrading, and expanding the roads around West Lake to meet public needs for sightseeing and travel while enhancing the scenic value of the area. The city leadership has assigned the Tay Ho District People’s Committee to urgently coordinate with relevant units to complete the Proposal for the Conservation and Promotion of West Lake and its Surroundings, and to submit a consolidated report to the city People’s Committee by March 20.

The Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee assigned the Department of Planning and Architecture to advise and report to the city People’s Committee on the implementation of adjustments to the Zoning Plan for the West Lake area and its surroundings (A6), as well as the 1/500-scale detailed planning. These adjustments will serve as a basis for investment and construction of roads and functional areas around West Lake.

In the near future, Hanoi may undergo a remarkable transformation with the development of a grand Opera House by West Lake, featuring cutting-edge technology and deeply inspired by the cultural essence of the city. This ambitious project is designed by the renowned architect Renzo Piano, a living legend in the world of architecture.

To prepare for this project, the Tay Ho District People’s Committee recently held a public consultation meeting on the 1/500 detailed planning proposal for the central space axis of the Quang An Peninsula. This planning area covers approximately 45,300 square meters, spanning Quang An Ward and part of Tu Lien Ward. It falls within planning zones 16, 17, and 19 of the West Lake and Surrounding Area Zoning Plan (A6), approved at a 1/2000 scale by the Hanoi People’s Committee.

A key highlight of the plan is the construction of a world-class Opera House on Dam Tri Lake, covering 13,578 square meters with a capacity of nearly 2,000 seats. Designed to serve as a premier venue for performing arts, the Opera House will host Hanoi’s major cultural events, becoming a landmark of both West Lake and the city as a whole.

Globally, many cultural landmarks and opera houses have become iconic symbols of their cities and even their nations. These “temples of art” also generate immense revenue for tourism. For instance, the Sydney Opera House is hailed as a “20th-century architectural masterpiece” and a world-famous landmark. Similarly, in Italy, the Parco della Musica Auditorium—another masterpiece by Renzo Piano—hosted over 730 events and welcomed 529,000 visitors in 2017 alone.

The Tứ Liên Lake Environmental Improvement Project is managed by the Tây Hồ District Construction Investment Project Management Board, with a joint venture between Civil-Industrial Construction Consulting JSC and DCC Hanoi Investment JSC as the contractors. The project commenced in September 2022.

Beyond flood prevention, the project aims to enhance the landscape and create walking paths and recreational spaces for residents. Key components include dredging the lakebed, collecting and treating sludge and aquatic vegetation, reinforcing the embankments, constructing an internal road around the lake, planting trees, installing lighting systems, and improving the lake’s drainage system.

The Hanoi People’s Committee has approved a plan to build a bridge connecting Thuy Su Lake and Dam Tri, as well as expanding the West Lake waterfront road to 21 meters—three times its current width.

Regarding the bridge connecting Thuy Su Lake and Dam Tri, Hanoi has emphasized the need for the highest aesthetic standards, ensuring a minimal yet elegant design that still meets functional requirements while minimizing its impact on the lake.

Additionally, the Quang An – Tu Hoa street area is included in the city’s proposal for renovation and expansion to reduce traffic congestion and enhance connectivity between areas around West Lake. Under the plan, the width of these two roads will be expanded to 21 meters, tripling their current size.

This expansion and renovation are expected to improve traffic flow and accommodate future urban development needs. Moreover, the project aims to enhance the urban landscape, creating a more livable and attractive environment for residents and visitors.

The construction project for the Đặng Thai Mai Road – Phase I, in Quảng An Ward, Tây Hồ District, has been approved by the Hanoi People’s Committee with its red-line boundary finalized. The Tây Hồ District People’s Committee also approved the project under Decision No. 1434/QĐ-UBND on August 26, 2024.

The project aims to enhance traffic connectivity with the Central Office Villa Complex and Phủ Tây Hồ, alleviate congestion during holidays, Tet, National Assembly sessions, and Party Congress events, and gradually improve the area’s transportation infrastructure in line with the approved urban plan. Additionally, it seeks to promote economic, social, and tourism development while creating a modern and civilized urban street.

The project covers a total length of 1.26 km, starting from the Tây Hồ Villa Complex and ending at the intersection with Xuân Diệu Street. The road’s cross-section width ranges from 20.5 to 93.6 meters, including:

• A central space axis section with a width of 93.6 meters (two 15-meter-wide vehicle lanes, two 6-meter-wide sidewalks, and a 54.6-meter-wide landscape corridor).
• A section passing through the Tây Hồ Villa area with a width of 20.5 meters (an 11.25-meter-wide roadway and two 4.625-meter-wide sidewalks).

The project also includes the construction of water supply and drainage systems, underground utility corridors, traffic management infrastructure, street lighting, and tree planting.