Evolution of Commercial Facilities in New Urban Areas of Hanoi: Potential of Sustainable Neighborhood-level Third Place Making

Shopping contributeslargely to how people feel part of and enjoy KDTMs (Khu Do Thi Moi -new urban areas) -the carefully planned new sites, well provided with infrastructure, very attractive Hanoi in the market economy. Among three facilities that are rated as most important by KDTM’s residents -education, health care, shopping, third is considered a pure civil space. This space clearly reflects changes politico-economic context decision-making actors. Participation private sector thenewly formed economy after long period under State-run subvention consumerism entailed various ways develop neighborhood-level commercial facilities. paper aims analyze discuss on: firstly, commercialfacilities have ‘promptly’ updated Vietnam's political-economic; secondly, classify has resulted corresponding differentiation according will project owners target consumer-resident; finally, facing global ‘death’ shopping malls, malls trying find themselves ‘vitality’: they be-ing ‘publicized’ (re)create places KDTM, encourage social interaction limited spaces -intersperse public practices.