ECOPARK

BUILDING THE FIRST

S E L F - S U S TA I N E D
TOWNSHIP IN VIETNAM
 I II III IV
THE MASTER PLAN
V
MILESTONES
BACKGROUND CHALLENGES STRATEGIES
 I.
B A C KG R O U N D
VISION
Ecopark will become a self-sustained township that provides not only
vibrant communities surrounded by water and gardens, but also an
enriched lifestyle and rewarding opportunities for all.
ENGAGE COMMUNITIES
EMBRACE NATURE
ENABLE OPPORTUNITIES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Located at the fringe of Hanoi, Vietnam,

Ecopark has been a tremendously successful
new town development. At the core of its
success is one guiding philosophy:
engagement of stakeholders, communities
and natural assets to create a loving home
and a destination of choice.

Engaged by the developer of Ecopark, Vihajico,

the Master Planning Team has gone through a
10-year journey from planning, test-bedding,
operational advisory to enhancing, to enable
the town to grow, adapt, engage new
communities, new ideas and new interests.

This submission summarises the team’s most

relevant lessons learned from that long
journey to contribute to the discourse in new
town planning.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Innovation Planning Approach and Methodology

• Community Hierarchy: from neighbourhoods of 10 ha to Given the long-term and large-scale nature of township
districts of 80 ha to allow for phasing flexibility, efficient development, the following approaches are adopted:
amenity distribution and income mix • Planning & design with stakeholders for implementation
• Planning for flexibility
• Diversified Housing: to serve different income groups, • Planning for mix of uses & building typologies
maintain market resilience, build critical mass for • Land reserve for future opportunities
commercial and amenities, and create a vibrant
community The methodology for Ecopark master planning are as
follows:
• Phasing Plan: to sustain cash flow and increase land • Engagement with the developer, town operator &
value through place-making and attract anchor community
investments • Post-development data collection for enhancement
• Traffic simulation & population-based analyses
• Technology Engagement in Wind Simulation & Stormwater • Multi-disciplinary project
Management: to derive comprehensive solutions for a
sustainable environment and comfortable public spaces
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Sustainability Implementability

Social • Right-sizing Phases: each district is sized to ensure

• Affordable housing options & income mix completion within a 5-year period
• Extensive network of public spaces for social interaction
• Jobs and marketplace for surrounding local • Diversify Housing Real Estate Products: to target a larger
communities market segment and ensure resilience in different market
conditions
Economic
• Business model to generate income for reinvestment & • Business Model of Township Operations: town operator
maintenance owns ground floor commercial and carpark in apartments
• Healthy job-housing balance to maximise utilisation, generate revenue for
• Attract higher education institutions reinvestment into the community, and discourage
automobiles
Environmental
• Extensive greenery to achieve outdoor comfort & • Adaptable Block Sizing: across different housing
capture emission typologies, to allow implementation in different market
• Wind simulation for comfort & low energy consumption conditions
• Natural stormwater treatment
 II.
CHALLENGES
NEW TOWN CHALLENGES

Hanoi Hanoi

Attracting Residents & Building Connectivity to Regional Hubs Diversify Economic Activities
Communities
Ecopark is not served by municipal public Being a satellite township, Ecopark will
Given its location beyond the Hanoi transport services and also struggles with need a diversified economic base to
municipal boundary, Ecopark faces poor external road connection to the avoid becoming a bedroom community.
difficulty in attracting residents and region. This translates to long commutes This requires a creative business model
businesses. Ecopark will also need to for residents and discourages them from to sustain economic activities given its
create a collective experience and relocating to Ecopark. small population size in the early stages
memories to foster a sense of of development.
community.
NEW TOWN CHALLENGES

Enhancing Land Value through Planning Sustainable Funding Mechanisms Integration with Local Community

Located far away from major urban A creative business model is needed to As an urban development surrounded by
centres, the land value in Ecopark is generate income for Ecopark’s operator rural communities, Ecopark will have to
relatively low. Planning is crucial to to cover operations and maintenance ensure both economic and social
enhance land value to allow development costs and reinvest into the community. relationships with these communities.
intensification, which supports building This ensures competitive living costs and Ecopark should also support local
the critical mass, transit use and business environment in Ecopark. livelihoods, such as farming due to the
vibrancy. lost of agriculture land.
 III.
S T R AT E G I E S
 7 Accommodate Connect Engage
STRATEGIES Housing Needs of Using Multiple Businesses to
FOR A SUCCESSFUL Various Income Transport Options Achieve Job-
SELF-SUSTAINED Groups Housing Balance
TOWNSHIP

Provide Enrich Ensure Shape

Abundant Amenities Lives through People- Operational Community Identity
Closer to Home Oriented Design Sustainability through Engagement
1. PROVIDE A VARIETY OF
QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING

Benefits for Ecopark

• Attract residents who cannot afford housing in

Hanoi and/or looking for more spacious living
environment

Solutions

• Locate high-density affordable housing

developments along major transportation
corridor & township edges: to maximise
accessibility to transit services and social
amenities
• Offer a wide pricing-range of housing products
(from SGD 30,000 to SGD 2 million) through
housing density mix in every community

Mix of housing typologies in Ecopark Phase I (Palm Springs)

2. CONNECT
USING MULTIPLE
TRANSPORT OPTIONS

Ecopark residents utilising Ecopark’s complimentary shuttle bus system

Benefits for Ecopark

• Provide seamless connection to Hanoi and regional

destinations
• Encourage use of alternative transportation modes

Solutions

• Implement five free shuttle bus services to major

employment hubs and culture destinations. These
free shuttle services also serve the surrounding
communities
• Design of road right-of-way to accommodate future Lush green pedestrian pathways in Ecopark
mass transit system
• Seamless bicycle/pedestrian network to improve
people’s accessibility to destinations and
encourage active mobility

Bicycle path in Ecopark

3. ENABLE BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE
JOBS

Benefits for Ecopark

• Growing the local economy

• Ensure job-housing balance to reduce the need for
commute to workplaces outside of Ecopark and
enhances quality of living
F&B retail along Pho Truc Street in Ecopark Palm Springs
• Training & job opportunities for local communities
including surrounding rural villages

Solutions

• Diversified distribution of commercial GFA in the

form of offices, shopping malls, hospitality, retail
streets, etc. This provides employment
opportunities for locals.
• Foster land use synergy to create ecosystems for
business and innovation through complementary
land use allocation

Tokyo Human Health Sciences University in Ecopark to train

the next generation of healthcare specialists in Vietnam
4. BRING SOCIAL
AMENITIES
CLOSER TO HOME

Benefits for Ecopark

• Variety of social amenities offerings

• Good accessibility to social amenities from every
home

Solutions Swimming pool facility in the clubhouse of Run Co apartments in Palm Springs

• Consolidate land for civic use to allow for flexibility

in building social amenities such as international
standard schools and shared facilities
• Walkability and accessibility: social amenities are
located in a way such that they are accessible from
public areas and walkable from every home
• Residential clubhouses: every community including
affordable housing will have their own clubhouse
with recreational and social functions

Medical clinics easily accessible from every home in Ecopark

5. ENRICH LIVES THROUGH
ENVIRONMENTAL
DESIGN

Benefits for Ecopark Ecopark residents enjoying a picnic in Summer Park of Ecopark

• Increase biodiversity
• Create attractive outdoor destinations
• Promote healthy and active lifestyles

Solutions

• Mixed-densities: high- and low-density

developments are interspersed to create spacious
street experience
• Dedicate a large amount of land for open spaces Children cycling in Summer Park of Ecopark
(12m2 open space per capita provision) and green
connections
• Provide a variety of open space experiences from
wetlands to parks, a golf course and an urban
beach, to enrich living experience

Children enjoying the green pedestrian networks on the way to school

6. E N S U R E O P E R AT I O N A L
& E N V I R O N M E N TA L
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

Benefits for Ecopark

• Minimised cost of infrastructure investment and

operations
• Maximised utilisation rate of utilities and
infrastructure
Well-landscaped on-street parking in Palm Springs
• Promotes green lifestyle
• Protected water resources for irrigation

Solutions

• Co-location of public facilities and residential

developments to allow for shared facilities such as
carparks
• Wind modelling and simulation: to create
comfortable outdoor environments and reduce
energy consumption
• Stormwater modelling and simulation to design
water-sensitive features to achieve good water
quality and prevent flooding

Apartment ground-floor spaces are rented out to commercial and service operators to
generate income for reinvestment into the community
7. BUILD COMMUNITY
IDENTITY THROUGH PUBLIC
SPACE ENGAGEMENT

Benefits for Ecopark

• Cultivate sense of belonging

• Bonding between neighbours
• Social integration with surrounding local villages
F&B retail along Pho Truc Street in Ecopark Palm Springs
Solutions

• Ample public spaces are designed for community

interaction and conviviality
• Dedicated public areas for community gardens and
a farmers’ market, which supports local livelihoods
• Majority of housing developments are fenceless,
with public plazas for community events and
gatherings
• Major parks are designed to accommodate regular
festivals and public events

F&B retail along Pho Cuc Street in Ecopark Palm Springs

 IV.
THE
MASTER PLAN
 LAND USE PLAN

A live, work, shop, play and learn destination

Ecopark Master Plan Revision 2016 envisions to transform Ecopark into a
destination for living, working, shopping, playing and learning – a self-
sustained urban community surrounded by water and gardens. Ecopark
Master Plan Revision 2016 forms a cohesive urban community with 5
distinctive districts: Palm Springs, Riverine, Central, Knowledge and
Creative, Fairview and Aqua Bay. Each district has unique characters
shaped by a variety of landscape features and public spaces designed to
promote interaction among people and between people and the nature.
Each district offers a variety of residential environments from high-rise to
low-rise, from waterfront to park living so that residents have a wide range
of housing and lifestyle choices. Each district also has its own public
amenities such as school, community centre, clubhouse, shops and parks
within walking distance to ensure a high quality of living for the residents
and minimize the need of driving.

Refinement of design for major destinations

One of the highlights of Ecopark Master Plan Revision 2016 is the
refinement of layouts for major destinations along Hanoi – Hung Yen
Interprovincial highway including Wetland Park, Tourism Quarter,
Knowledge and Creative District, Central Business Area and waterfront
developments in Aqua Bay. These destinations are pulling together, forming
a vibrant and pedestrian-friendly urban heart, by Central Avenue –
Ecopark’s Urban Spine, and East-West pedestrian corridors crossing the
highway and water bodies with iconic bridges. Spreading destinations
along the Interprovincial Highway allow maximum public access by both
transit and driving.
 LAND USE PLAN

Increase sellable and open space land area

Ecopark Master Plan Revision 2016 provides a balanced land distribution

among competing demands. Sellable land area, which includes both
residential and commercial land uses, is increased from approximately 260
ha in Ecopark Master Plan Revision 2013 to over 269 ha or 54% of total
Ecopark’s land area. Greenery and Water land use is also increased slightly
with a larger waterfront park in the Central District.

Reduce land area for Infrastructure

Non-sellable Infrastructure (road, carpark and utility) land use is reduced. It

is important to note that land area for Infrastructure is reduced due to the
conversion of Transportation Hub to a mix-used development with
commercial and civic components to optimise land value and the adoption
of a different technology for sewage treatment.

Increase land area for school and administrative functions

Public Works land use, which now includes only School and City and
Community Institutions, is increased to provide sufficient land area for
schools and administrative functions in the future.
 L A N D U S E TA B L E

LAND USE AREA (ha) Area (ha) Area (%)

RESIDENTIAL HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL 64.40 172.04 34.5%

MID-RISE RESIDENTIAL 14.30
LOW-RISE RESIDENTIAL 93.34
COMMERCIAL OFFICE 7.35 97.30 19.5%
CLUBHOUSE 7.40
COMMERCIAL 7.17
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT 57.95
SPORT 3.02
KNOWLEDGE 12.83
MEDICAL 1.57
GREEN & BLUE GREEN & OPEN SPACE 29.98 106.65 21.4%
WATER BODY 63.92
DRAINAGE 12.74
INFRASTRUCTURE ROADS 102.90 106.98 21.4%
TRANSPORT SERVICE 1.70
UTILITY 2.39
PUBLIC WORKS SCHOOL 10.65 16.11 3.2%
CIVIC & COMMUNITY INSTITUTION 5.46
TOTAL 499.07 499.07 100%
 DENSIT Y DISTRIBUTION

Plot Ratio

Development Densities are higher along Hanoi - Hung Yen

Interprovincial Highway to utilize the transport capacity along
this main arterial and along Ecopark’s periphery to capitalize
on internal views to water bodies and the golf course. Central
Business Area has highest plot ratios to create a critical mass
for business activities in Ecopark.

12.0 3.0
10.0 2.5
8.0 1.5
6.0 1.0
5.0 0.5
4.5 0
4.0
 DENSIT Y DISTRIBUTION

Population Density by Zone

Population density remains concentrated in the high-rise

residential plots in the peripheral areas - particularly in the
newly opened up high-rise residential area Northeast of the
golf course. Population density is generally evenly distributed
across the rest of Ecopark.

1,201 – 1,600
801 – 1,200
401 – 800
201 – 400
101 – 200
51 – 100
1 – 50
No population
 DENSIT Y DISTRIBUTION

Commercial GFA per Capita by Zone

Commercial gross floor area (GFA) is concentrated in the Core

Area of Ecopark - comprising of the Tourism Quarter,
Transportation Hub, Central Business Area and Knowledge
and Creative District. This creates a strong commercial core
within Ecopark which strengthens the heart of the township,
making it more vibrant and lively.

> 100,000 m2
50,000 – 100,000 m2
25,000 – 50,000 m2
10,000 – 25,000 m2
0 – 10,000 m2
0 m2
 BUILDING HEIGHT PLAN

Forming a Distinctive Skyline

A 60-story landmark tower located in the heart of Central

Business Area will be the peak of Ecopark skyline, capturing
views from the Interprovincial Highway, Central Avenue,
Waterfront Park and surrounding communities. Building
skyline is designed to give an aesthetic outlook of Ecopark
from afar.

3
4
5
6
10
15
20
25
30
40
50
Not Applicable
 O P E N S PAC E P L A N

A township of gardens and water

A third of Ecopark land area (33%) is reserved for open

spaces including 30 hectares of public parks and greenery,
64 hectares of water body and 58 hectares of a golf course.
These large amounts of green and blue areas will helps to
make Ecopark a township of gardens and water.

Central Park

To have a major park which can be used for both individuals'

enjoyment and public gathering, the green space along
Central Lake and adjacent to Central Business Area is
expanded to 2.5 hectares to accommodate up to 30,000
people. This park will be anchored to the North by a
commercial and culture facility and to the South by a public
library.

Park connectivity

Access from all residences to parks and open spaces within a

walkable distance is ensured through a seamless park
connector network: a system of green walkways, pedestrian
Park and Greenery bridges and boardwalks.
Golf Course
Water
Park Connector
 PEDESTRIAN NET WORK PLAN

Sidewalk

A continuous network of sidewalk path along all public roads

provides a basic pedestrian connection through entire
Ecopark. To allow a comfortable and safe pedestrian
environment, sidewalk will not be less than 2.5 m in width and
be buffered from vehicular traffic by a landscape strip.
Sidewalk along local roads inside gated communities is
reduced to 1.5 m wide as slow-speed local roads can allow a
share of road space between vehicles and pedestrians.

Prioritized Pedestrian Corridor

Prioritized Pedestrian Corridor is Ecopark's Urban Spine

linking most major destinations from Sport Hub and Aqua Bay
Lake Park in the South to Central Business Area, Tourism
Quarter and Wetland Park in the North. Prioritized Pedestrian
Corridor is a vibrant commercial street with shopfront facade
and wide sidewalk. This street will be featured by high-density
development and mixture of uses to bring about social and
Prioritised pedestrian corridor commercial activities to its public realm. The minimum width
Sidewalk along public roads
Waterfront promenade of the walkway in the corridor is 6 m including greenery buffer.
Access points
Commercial activity nodes
Institutional activity nodes
Waterfront Promenade
Recreational activity nodes
Transportation activity nodes
To allow best people's access to waterfront sites, a network of
waterfront promenade is proposed connecting all major open
spaces along water bodies including Bac Hung Hai River,
Wetland Park, Riverine Lake, Central Lake and Aqua Bay Lake.
 B I C YC L E N E T WO R K P L A N

Two-Sided Bike Lane

Bike lanes will be dedicated in both side of the road so that

opposite traffic flows are separated. The minimum size of the
bike lane in each direction is 1.5 m. Most non-local roads in
Ecopark will have Two-sided Bike Lanes.

One-Sided Bike Lane

Bike Lanes will be dedicated on one side of the road only and
accommodate both directions of traffic. One-sided Bike Lanes
are available along waterfront and open spaces to allow
cyclists to enjoy the view and direct access to natural
environment. The minimum width of One-sided Bike Lanes is
2.0 m to give sufficient safe space between opposite bicycle
traffics.

Waterfront Bike Path

Bike Lanes will be running parallel with Waterfront Promenade
Two-sided bicycle lane to allow a closer view of water bodies and waterfront parks for
One-sided bicycle lane cyclists. Waterfront Bike Path will be 2 m wide to
Waterfront bicycle lane
Bridge connection accommodate both directions.
Access points
Commercial activity nodes
Institutional activity nodes
Recreational activity nodes
Transportation nodes
 PA R K I N G P L A N

Shared Parking Strategy

To provide a demand of 43,000 parking spaces for both

residential and commercial developments in Ecopark, a
Shared Parking District is designated in Central Business Area
and shared carparks are allocated in high-density residential
communities. These parking facilities are public accessible
and chargeable to serve both commercial users and
employees during daytime and residential users during night
time. In addition, spaces under Bac Hung Hai bridge and
above underground sewage treatment plants are also utilized
for parking.

Shared parking district (basement carpark)

Shared carpark
On-street parking
Surface parking (above underground sewage
treatment plants)
 ROAD NET WORK PLAN

The road hierarchy is simple and structured to allow for an

easy navigation around the site. Except the Central Business
Area, Knowledge and Creative District and Aquatic shophouse
area in Aqua Bay which have grid patterns to maximize
accessibility to all buildings and the Waterfront Park, each
district's road network usually follows a tree pattern with cul-
de-sacs to prohibit external vehicles to enter living areas.

Arterial
Major collector
Minor collector
Local
Full junction
Full junction with flyover
Half junction
Not a junction
 ROAD SECTIONS

Seven typical road sections in Ecopark have

been included in this report for reference
(see Figures 5.9.1-5.9.7).
 TRANSIT NETWORK PLAN

A proposed bus transit system has been planned comprising of

three main routes: (i) BRT Route, (ii) Trunk Routes, and (iii)
Feeder Routes.

BRT Route
This proposed BRT route serves as a high-speed, high-capacity
and high-frequency transit system option for Ecopark. This will
provide internal accessibility between major destinations along
Interprovincial Highway, and also possibly connecting to other
future external mass transit modes near Ecopark (i.e. Hanoi's
MRT and BRT lines). BRT stations have been strategically located
at 500-800 m distance intervals, to ensure smooth and fast
transit. They are also located adjacent pedestrian bridges for
pedestrian convenience.

Trunk Routes
These routes serve to connect more key nodes and destinations
in Ecopark, as compared to the BRT route. They will mainly run
on the collector roads, and bus stops are distributed at shorter
distance intervals of approximately 200 m.

Transportation Hub Feeder Routes

BRT Stops These routes are shorter in distance than the Trunk Routes,
BRT Route
Trunk Routes
offering higher connectivity between residential areas and
Transportation Hub where bus riders can transfer to other
Feeder Routes
routes. Similar to the Trunk Routes, they are also distributed at
shorter distance intervals of approximately 200 m.
 TRANSIT NETWORK PLAN

Palm Springs
BRT Station

Transportation Hub
BRT Station
Transportation Hub Transportation Hub Transportation Hub
Central Business Area
BRT Station

Administration Center
BRT Station

Aqua Bay
BRT Station

Sports Hub
BRT Station

BRT Route Trunk Routes Feeder Routes

 V.
M I L E S TO N E S
V A L U E C R E AT I O N O V E R T I M E
 TOWN BUILDERS
I T TA K E S A C O M MU NI T Y TO B U I L D A TOW N