A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1988

The Quarter of 36 Old Streets is located in the heart of Hanoi, a city with nearly 1000 years of history. Historic and architectural vestiges in combination with a traditional urban fabric in the area give it unique character as a part of national heritage . Yet economic constraints and neglect may endanger the very existence of historic environment and lead to dilapidation of the housing stock, which consists of genuine examples of urban vernacular architecture in a setting of traditional lifestyle. This conservation study is an attempt to identify conservation potentials an~ to find a viable way to conserve the quarter. The historic environment and the housing conditions were analysed in detail through survey of all 80 listed objects and 213 houses in a focused area which was chosen as the most representative. Opinions of the residents and the public were gathered to find out the level of possible community participation A classification system was applied to the historic objects to compile a list of priority for immediate treatment . The houses were also classified in terms of age, style, physical soundness and other characteristics. The findings are used as a basis for a possible conservation strategy, which emphasizes division of role betwen the institutinal framework and comminuty participation. The results of the study indicate that there are important potentials for conservation of the area , and it is hoped that the proposed components of conservation strategy can contribute to the ongoing process of formulating a concrete conservation program for the area.