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Vietnam

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6:30 PM

“Who is selling, who is buying?” - Traditional Markets and Globalization

Panel discussion|In the framework of "re-tellme 2025"

  • Goethe-Institut Hanoi, Hanoi

  • Vietnamese, English
  • Free register to participate
Registration to participate in the cultural events

HAN 20250903 1500 © Goethe-Institut Hanoi

HAN 20250903 7300 © Goethe-Institut Hanoi

Markets are an essential element in how a community shapes everyday life – not only as places of trade but also as spaces for daily social interaction. In Vietnam, markets have long been a form of economic, social, and cultural practice, predating the processes of colonization and industrialization. Despite the significant impacts of these two transformations and the competition of newer forms of distribution and consumption of food, as well as communication forms, markets continue to exist and retain an important role in community life.
 
This dialogue will discuss the role of traditional markets in today’s life. It focuses on the experiences of younger generations with markets and raises the question of how traditional markets can better respond to their needs. With experts from both Germany and Vietnam, the event opens up a forum for exchange and invites the audience to reflect on the history and function of markets, their socio-economic significance, and their cultural dimension.
 
Framed by the open question “Who is selling, who is buying?”, the discussion links through the historical transformations of markets to the present day: an era of post-colonialism and globalization, when traditional modes of commerce have been profoundly reshaped under the influence of the systems of supermarkets, convenience stores, and digital platforms, including for shopping and delivery services.
 
The Vietnamese speakers include architect Chu Kim Đức – co-founder of Think Playgrounds – and Associate Professor Dr. Architect Nguyễn Hồng Thục – lecturer and urban researcher – who will share their experiences and visions for market models that can develop harmoniously amid today’s dynamic urban landscapes. From Berlin, Dr. Eduard Kögel – curator, architect, architectural researcher, and university lecturer –present findings from his studies, drawing lessons from market models in Germany and across Asia. Writer Nguyễn Trương Quý, with his background in research and writing on Hanoi, will serve as the moderator.

Speakers

  • Architect Chu Kim Duc is the co-founder and coordinator of Think Playgrounds – a social organization dedicated to promoting the right to play for children in Vietnam. She holds a Master’s degree in Garden, Landscape, and Heritage History from France. In 2014, she and her colleagues established Think Playgrounds, beginning with the design of safe, creative, and open playgrounds built from recycled materials. To date, the group has created over 200 community playgrounds across Vietnam, including notable projects in Hoi An such as Trang Keo Playground and the Cua Dai Eco Park.

    Chu Kim Duc advocates for playground models that integrate ecological education, cultural values, and sustainable development. All playgrounds are designed to be environmentally friendly and inclusive for children of various backgrounds and abilities. In 2020, she was honored by the BBC as one of the 100 most inspiring women in the world. She continues to champion public playgrounds as a vital part of holistic development for Vietnamese children.

    Think Playgrounds (TPG), established in 2014, is a social enterprise specializing in designing and building sustainable, child-friendly public spaces and playgrounds across Vietnam. By the end of 2024, TPG had collaborated on over 270 playgrounds and public spaces, including more than 20 inclusive playgrounds. Additionally, 50% of the profits from TPG's commercial sector are reinvested to maintain public playgrounds, demonstrating their strong commitment to their social mission.

  • Eduard Kögel studied at the faculty of Architecture, Urban and Landscape Planning at the University of Kassel in Germany. From 1999 to 2004 he taught as Assistant Professor at the Technical University in Darmstadt in the department of Non-European Architecture and Urban Development. In 2007, he completed his doctorate at the Bauhaus University in Weimar with a thesis on German architects in Shanghai during the National Socialist regime. From 2009 to 2011, he conducted a research project on the work of the German architectural historian Ernst Boerschmann in China at the beginning of the 20th century. Kögel researches the history of exchange in architecture and urban development between Asia and the West. He regularly lectures at Berlin Institute of Technology and Bauhaus-University Weimar. Kögel works as project manager for www.chinese-architects.com.
    Currently he organizes exhibitions and exchange on Mid-Century Modernism in South East Asia www.seam-encounters.net.

  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Hồng Thục, born in 1965, is an architect and urban planning expert, currently serving as Director of the Institute for Settlement and Human Studies. She graduated from Hanoi Architectural University and earned her Ph.D. in France. As one of the pioneering scholars in the fields of urbanism and settlement studies in Vietnam, she has over 30 years of professional experience in sustainable urban development, spatial planning, and ecological transition for both urban and rural areas.

    Dr. Thục is also the author of numerous research projects and policy papers that have significantly contributed to shaping modern urban development thinking, emphasizing human-centered approaches and local identity. Her sharp, socially responsible perspectives are regularly featured in academic forums and professional media. More than just a researcher, Nguyễn Hồng Thục is also a passionate advocate for green, smart, and sustainable cities, especially as Vietnam faces growing environmental and demographic challenges.

Coordinator

Truong Quy Nguyen

Writer Nguyen Truong Quy, born in 1977 in Hanoi, is an independent author known for his distinctive works on culture, history, and urban life. He graduated from Hanoi University of Architecture and later earned a Master’s degree in Communication Management.
Nguyễn Trương Quý began his writing career in the early 2000s, developing a signature style of reflective and observant prose. Some of his notable works include

  • As Natural as a Hanoian (2004)
  • It’s Hard to Find a Truly Good Bowl of Phở (2008)
  • Hanoi is Hanoi (2010), and A Time When Hanoi Sang (2018)
In 2019, he was awarded the Bùi Xuân Phái – For the Love of Hanoi Prize for his book on Vietnamese modern music. Nguyễn Trương Quý is regarded as a prominent figure in the contemporary field of “Hanoiology.” Beyond writing, he also teaches, conducts research, and shares his passion for Hanoi’s culture with the wider community. His works blend perspectives from architecture, cultural studies, and a deep sense of nostalgia.