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RESULTS FROM ‘BIRD LISTENING STATIONS’ IN HÀ NỘI, HỒ CHÍ MINH CITY
After four months of operation, the ‘bird listening stations’, which are interactive sound installations using artificial intelligence to identify bird sounds in Hà Nội and Hồ Chí Minh City under the collaboration between Think Playgrounds and the Goethe-Institut Hà Nội, the Hamburg-based Baltic Raw Org artist group, the Việt Nam Bird Conservation Society (VBCS), and local partners, was widely received among the public. In particular:
🏞️ At the station in Chương Dương Forest Park, Hà Nội
📍 Bird species identified in total: 26
📍 Number of birds identified in total: 1349
📍 Visitors in total: 2129
🏞️ At the station in Tao Đàn Park, Hồ Chí Minh City
📍 Bird species identified in total: 3
📍 Number of birds identified in total: 363
📍 Visitors in total: 7134
FOUR NEW PLAYGROUNDS OPENED IN FEBRUARY!
Four new playgrounds for children have been built this month by Think Playgrounds in collaboration with its partners. At Nậm Cang Primary and Secondary School in Lào Cai Province, the UNIS Hà Nội team built a playground for 300 students of H’Mông, Dao, Tày, and Xa Phó ethnic groups. Meanwhile, students from the Saigon South International School (SSIS) installed a playground at Trần Quốc Toản Primary School in Hồ Tràm Commune, Hồ Chí Minh City (formerly Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province) under the guidance of AsiaMotions. In addition, a wooden playground at Vườn Ong Steiner Kindergarten, Hà Nội and a playground at Sen Việt Organic Farm, Bắc Ninh Province made with wood and recycled plastic panels were put into operation, providing children and visitors a creative and educational playing space in a natural setting.
CO-FOUNDER CHU KIM ĐỨC HONOURED BY VIỆT NAM ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2025
Architect Chu Kim Đức, Think Playgrounds’ Co-Founder and Executive Director, was recently awarded a certificate of recognition by the Việt Nam Association of Architects for outstanding achievements in the association’s work and professional activities in 2025. Meanwhile, the Hà Nội Association of Architects has also introduced Ms Chu Kim Đức as one of its representatives to run for the Hà Nội Municipal People’s Council for the 2026-2031 term, in which she is assigned to constituency No 12 (consisting of Bồ Đề Ward, Việt Hưng Ward, Long Biên Ward, Phúc Lợi Ward), with the hope that she can contribute to monitoring, providing feedback, and promoting community-based initiatives and solutions for safe, creative, and sustainable public spaces for all Hà Nội residents.
‘UNMUTING’ RHYTHM OF RED RIVER
In late January, the ba-bau AIR art space collaborated with artist Kosmas Phan Đinh and Think Playgrounds to host the ‘Amphibian Ears’ workshop in the Floating Hamlet (Xóm Phao), as the application of integrating art and research into practical, sustainable urban development and planning has become popular globally. More than an art event, the workshop was an act of ‘unmuting.’ Using specialized recording equipment, participants and residents listened to the hidden vibrations of the river and daily life at the Floating Hamlet. Through this process, stories of resilience, indigenous knowledge, and local culture were brought to the forefront, dissolving the boundaries between observers and the community.
Read the full report and analysis by Ms Vũ Thục Khuyên, Research & Advocacy Officer at Think Playgrounds, on Art Nation magazine:
https://artnation.vn/en/amphibian-ears-tuning-into-the-red-river-chthulucene/
BURMESE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN RENOVATING RED RIVER BANK FOREST PARKS
In late February, students from the International School of Myanmar visited the Forest Parks on the Red River south bank in Hà Nội and supported the biodiversity renovation activities under the guidance of Think Playgrounds, coordinating partners, and local communities. From planting erosion-prevention trees and medicinal trees in the community gardens, cleaning up the area, repainting the play equipment in the playgrounds, to tying bamboo slats together to form a fence, this experience provided the students with a better understanding of ecology preservation and urban sustainability, and how they can develop the community with practical endeavours.
PROTECTING CHILDHOOD SPACES IN THE CITY
Last month, Think Playgrounds continued to help repair and refurbish the playground equipment at Thống Nhất Park, Hà Nội. This was part of our campaign ‘Protecting childhood spaces in the city’ as we strive to maintain friendly, safe, and creative play spaces, and ensure the Right to Play for all children with the cooperation and long-term support from the whole community.
COMMUNITY RAISES FUNDS TO REPAIR FLOATING HOUSES FOR DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES
In February, with the collective efforts of the community, Think Playgrounds helped repair the house for Ms Kiều Thị Nhung’s family who lives by the Red River. The house is designed with a wide hallway and a side hallway on the left so that Nhung can grow flowers, for she is a plant lover. It utilises basic and sustainable materials such as a steel frame, aluminum walls, corrugated iron roof, and lightweight concrete cemboard floor, ensuring safety, lightness, resistance to rain and sun, and greater safety during floods.
To date, 11 households have been renovated and rebuilt in total. However, there are still 10 households living in houses severely damaged from the historic typhoon Yagi in 2024 and the floods this year. in need of community support to repair their houses after the flood season. You can contribute to supporting the Floating Hamlet community by scanning the QR code below:
