Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son has proposed relocating Da Nang's free trade zone to Chu Lai, approximately 100 km south of the city center. This recommendation, made at a workshop on urban planning and architectural work with Da Nang city's cultural heritage on 27/6, addresses the common challenge Vietnamese cities face in restructuring development space, particularly the dilemma of balancing heritage preservation with growth demands.

Son highlighted that Da Nang's current free trade zone, established in 6/2025 with a total area of 1,881 ha, is spread across seven non-contiguous locations within Lien Chieu district and Hoa Vang district. These functional areas include manufacturing, logistics, trade-services, digital technology, information technology, and innovation. While this arrangement might have been acceptable when the former Da Nang city spanned 1,283 km2, the city's recent merger with Quang Nam has expanded its natural area to over 11,800 km2, necessitating a more integrated approach.

Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son presents his paper at the workshop on 27/6. Photo: Nguyen Dong

"When the free trade zone is moved, the old Da Nang urban core will concentrate resources to develop into a financial center, a modern and civilized city. Large-scale industrial production and logistics functions, which are more suitable, will be gradually allocated to the South," Son stated.

Son explained that one of Da Nang's advantages is its minimal constraints from heritage structures in the central core. This provides significant room for developing dense urban areas and modern high-rise zones. This development space could expand northward towards Chan May - Lang Co, Hue city, rather than extending southward towards Chu Lai - Tam Ky.

The expert reasoned that the Chan May - Lang Co area is only about 30 km from Da Nang's center, whereas the distance to Chu Lai - Tam Ky is over 100 km. Additionally, the southern area is separated by the heritage city of Hoi An, which restricts the formation of a continuous industrial-commercial urban strip.

"Expanding the central urban space northward would be more favorable, simultaneously creating development momentum for both Da Nang and Hue city. We must envision future development from a regional perspective to achieve a new position capable of international competition," Son said.

A view of Da Nang city center today. Photo: Nguyen Dong

Concurring with the regional linkage strategy, Tran Ngoc Chinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Development Planning Association, emphasized that after its boundary expansion, Da Nang became the second largest centrally-governed city in the country (after Dong Nai city, with an area of about 12,730 km2). It also boasts two world cultural heritage sites: Hoi An and My Son sanctuary.

To leverage these advantages, Chinh proposed forming a "common heritage corridor" for the entire region. The goal is to position Da Nang within Central Vietnam's heritage landscape by connecting the urban heritage chain of Hue, Hoi An, and My Son, along with the Cham cultural system. This connection would create a significant resource for developing cultural industries and tourism.

Chinh expressed concern about the rapid urbanization pressure. The proliferation of high-rise buildings and real estate projects degrades the landscape and erodes local identity. "Preserving cultural heritage is not just about safeguarding the past; it is a solution for sustainable future development. Planning efforts must identify and protect riverside areas, coastal zones, and old quarters, clearly stipulating control standards for building height and density to prevent commercialization from distorting heritage," Chinh stated.