GREEN VILLAGE CHALLENGE 2010

Green Village Challenge Quy Nhon Viet Nam 2010 Summary:

Under the direction of 3RockD Founder Dr. James Spencer, and coordination of Diem Van Groth, three major US university urban planning graduate programs were invited to participate in the Green Village Challenge 2010 held in Quy Nhon, Viet Nam.

Green Village Challenge 2010 Team Focus:

The Columbia practicum focused on spatial planning for Quy Nhon and proposed a conceptual framework to help Quy Nhon achieve its goals, and outlines foundational principles for strategic and flexible planning. It presents a process and method blueprint for responsible growth in Quy Nhon and provides distinct recommendations for actions to be taken in the short-, mid-, and long-term future.

These recommendations aim to balance the economic, social, and ecological aspects of the area in order to encourage the development of a truly livable city. In this way, Quy Nhon can become the center for development and a model of sustainability for the region and Viet Nam as a whole.

The approach provides Quy Nhon with guidelines and recommendations for land use based on an Eco-Urban Regional approach that maximizes ecosystem services, and will help the city set itself apart from others, providing unique opportunities for branding and identity building. Its recommendations focus on developing clear and implementable land-use guidelines and priorities, as well as the development of model neighborhoods using these methods.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill practicum focused on community development issues, and mirrors the staged approach taken with economic development. The first stage focuses on providing adequate housing and services to the population of the city. The second set then focuses on improving the quality of life experienced by residents and creating opportunities for development. Finally, recommendations are provided to further improve the quality of life enjoyed by residents.

Initial investments focus on improving housing construction regulation and sanitation, complemented by worker training and re-skilling. Additionally, the report emphasizes the need to improve and upgrade public space and other community assets that are disproportionately used by workers and the poor. Additionally, the report identifies the need provide innovative forms of credit to community entrepreneurs so that they are able to access the opportunities that arise with economic development and ensure that the community retains its authenticity.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa practicum focused on strategic economic development. Taking the assumption that the City intends to elevate itself to First-Tier status at the same level as a province by 2020, the report and recommendations define an implementable way to move progressively from a natural-resource-based local economy to a tourism-based one, and in the long term to a higher-end service economy.

The report defines a set of investments and investor types that will assist the City build on its existing physical and labor assets to improve tourism and related services, and finally to attract growth in health, long-term visitor, educational, and other high-end services. This strategy highlights environmental technology investments in traditional woodworking industries, fisheries, and construction materials as an initial step, complemented by investments in environmentally responsible energy, tourism and development of the arts and related sectors.

Green Village Challenge 2010 Team Results:

Each of the reports submitted by the three universities who participated in the Green Village Challenge 2010 have been formatted for submission to the Peoples Committee on a city and province level, as well as to the Viet Nam Ministry of Construction. Many of the ideas, research, and conclusions of the students will be used in the planning process currently being undertaken to develop the Master Plan for the city of Quy Nhon, Viet Nam and will serve as support research for 3RockD Quy Nhon 7,500 acre Xanh Quy Nhon Master Planned Community.

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