West Lake, the largest natural lake in Hanoi, has long served as one of the capital’s most popular recreational spaces. Stretching over 526 hectares, it is a familiar backdrop for morning joggers, cyclists and residents seeking respite from the city’s congestion.
That familiar landscape may soon change. Under a newly approved master plan, Hanoi authorities aim to transform the area into “a sustainable cultural, tourism and creative economy hub”. The proposal includes widening surrounding roads, expanding green spaces and constructing new viewing decks as part of a broader urban overhaul scheduled for 2026–2030.
But will the overhaul enhance the lake’s character — or fundamentally reshape it?
The plan pledges no impact on West Lake
On January 27, Hanoi passed a resolution to revamp West Lake and its surrounding landscape comprehensively. The project, valued at roughly VND 30 trillion (approximately US$1.2 billion), will be implemented under a public–private partnership (PPP) model.
The overhaul is set to cover roughly 575.6 hectares, including 520.9 hectares of West Lake’s existing water surface. With the remaining 49.7 hectares, including land and smaller lakes, the plan included
- Widen surrounding streets, including Nhat Chieu, Ve Ho, Trich Sai, Nguyen Dinh Thi, Quang An and Quang Ba. Those streets will be expanded from 8.5–9.5 meters to 21-24 meters wide. Sidewalks on the residential side will range from 1–3 meters, while those facing the lake will be extended to 5 meters. Retaining the current layouts of Thanh Nien, Quang Khanh, Tu Hoa, Yen Hoa and Lac Long Quan streets, with upgrades to sidewalks, flower gardens and park areas.
- Construct 27 viewing desk around West Lake, along with two floating public squares: Van Cao Square and Kim Nguu Pier Square
- Build two landscape bridges, Nhat Chieu and Sam Cam with an average width of about 10 meters.
- Build six boat piers for West Lake, including three main terminals and three auxiliary docks.
- Additional development land will be allocated for projects such as the Four Seasons Flower Park, Dam Dong Park, Ben Chum Garden and Thuy Su Pond, as well as commercial and service facilities, underground parking, environmental protection works, landscape lighting systems and outdoor live performance shows.
Under this plan, Hanoi aims to turn West Lake into “a sustainable cultural, tourism, and creative economy hub of the capital”, while maximising the site’s unique landscape, historical, cultural, and ecological values. The city also aims to improve residents’ quality of life, drive socio-economic development, and enhance Hanoi’s image and standing.
Tran Hieu, Deputy Head of the West Lake Management Board, said the expansion of lakeside roads would not require land clearance or affect residential properties. The project will also not reduce West Lake’s water surface area, as the Hanoi People’s Committee has required that the lake remain unchanged when approving the plan.
A representative of Tay Ho Ward’s People’s Committee also affirmed that the road widening would not impact heritage sites or residents living in the surrounding area.
Will expansion undermine quality of living?
Architect Tran Huy Anh, a Standing Committee member of the Hanoi Association of Architects, said that West Lake holds a uniquely significant position. It is one of the few remaining spaces that balances a rapidly developing city with elements of nature, history and urban memory.
However, for many years, West Lake has been viewed primarily as a source of added value for lakeside real estate. The water surface and surrounding landscape have gradually been encroached upon and enclosed by dense construction, leaving the lake increasingly vulnerable to the pressures of accelerated urban development.
Developing West Lake as a modern public space represents Hanoi’s effort to preserve this unique area and prevent further concrete encroachment and ecological degradation. However, this development direction has also raised concerns among experts.
Architect Tran Huy Anh described West Lake as a tranquil and highly valuable space that helps regulate the balance of urban life, which has long attracted high-income residents to settle in the surrounding area as a combination of residence and retreat.
“If West Lake is treated as the city’s central park, then opening large roads around it would effectively turn the area into a highway,” he said. “That would contradict the very activities the lake is meant to support, which require quietness. The area would also lose its appeal to high-income residents, as the quality of living would inevitably decline,” he added with Nguoi Lao Dong.
The architect stressed that West Lake is not a place for further concretisation, nor a testing ground for shallow planning ideas. Any project affecting the lake, he said, must be preceded by rigorous, measurable assessments of its impact on the water ecosystem, air quality, landscape and residents’ livelihoods.
Hanoi is moving forward with one of its most ambitious urban development plans, aiming to become a modern, highly developed metropolis by 2050. The renovation of West Lake forms a key part of that vision. It requires a careful balance between unlocking economic potential and preserving the qualities that make the lake indispensable to the capital’s identity.
Whether the overhaul becomes a model of sustainable urban renewal or a cautionary tale of overdevelopment will depend on how carefully that balance is maintained.
