· · · Conference Proceedings hosted by TU Delft Library

The global economic crisis has left a negative impact on Vietnam’s economy since mid 2008. Consequently, the building industry – particularly the urban housing market as an integral part of it – has been strongly affected. However, it is also a “rare” occasion to reinvestigate the housing policy as well as the housing mechanism in a wider context of the post-WTO free market economy. In a solid and sound urban housing market, the real demand for high-quality but reasonable housing of residents should be a driving force. But in fact, the housing development program in Hanoi is primarily based on the annual allocation from the Government rather than on research, which may result in either chronic shortage that happened until mid 2008 or redundancy that occurs at present – under the influence of the economic recession. Another two major weak points clearly reflected through the current economic slump are the old-fashioned centralized housing management and its twin sister: housing speculation, which makes the situation even more complicated. It is therefore high time to strike at the root of the problematic urban housing policy and management. In the era of globalization and co-operation housing concepts are transferable. Germany possesses a robust urban housing mechanism and can offer a good example for Vietnam, with the city of Berlin being selected as a special case study, due to its socialist past and radical change over the past two decades – after the Wall was dismantled. This paper focuses on the practicability of a West European managing tool which is well-known for effectiveness into a Southeast Asian society which is self regulating for sustainability. There are two factors to consider while developing such a new concept for Hanoi: benefits (or opportunities) and dangers (or threats), thus it would be a wise step to maximize the former and minimize the latter. In addition, comparative housing needs to be adaptable and flexible. With these in mind, the paper aims to put forward a symbiosis between “innovative” and “conventional” housing management, as well as between technical and social aspects of the matter, so that it will be highly functional and least influenced by the socio-economic fluctuations. For a developing country like Vietnam, this re-adjustment plays a significant role, not only in urban housing itself, but also in the entire integration process.