HCM CITY -- Go on a fascinating journey and discover HCM City through the pages of a photobook released today.

The book, TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City - Edition 2017, has been compiled by Dr Michael Waibel, a researcher and teacher who heads urban development projects in the geography department at the University of Hamburg, Germany.

An economic hub, HCM City has emerged as Việt Nam’s first mega city in recent years. The vibrant metropolis is rapidly changing against the backdrop of globalisation, but has retained an almost rural character in its many small pockets and alleys.

The large-format book, with more than 450 photos, targets a wide audience and has been printed in both Vietnamese and English. Through its various chapters - Views from Above, Change over Time, Architecture and Housing, People of the City, Urban Transport, Soul of the City and Miniatures - the book has attempted to capture the spatial and social bandwidth of the mega city holistically.

It will take readers through the familiar and lesser-known aspects of the city, let them experience its vibrancy and look at the dynamic changes of the past years.

Over 20 people have contributed to the publication, among them several innovative Vietnamese architecture firms that have constructed aesthetically pleasing buildings based on the principles of green architecture. The buildings are a contribution to sustainable urban development and will hopefully be an inspiration to others. -- VNS