Specifically, the central square and the riverside park will cover 20 and 10 hectares respectively.

The square will be a place where cultural exchange activities, festivals for tourists and daily activities of local residents will take place, and there will be functional facilities that existing urban area can not supply. Besides, architectural works and green trees will be highlights for the Thu Thiem new urban area.

According to the detailed planning designed by France-based Defrain Souquet Deso Associates, the construction density in the zone will be 5% at the maximum. The square’s basement will have to ensure a parking lot for at least 2,500 cars and include service works and supporting technical infrastructure.

The Thu Thiem new urban area’s management board and the design consulting firm will design a detail scheme in the next six months.

The HCMC government has asked agencies to study roads leading to the Thu Thiem new urban area so that they can handle over 500,000 people. Four roads linking to the urban area will be kicked off next June with a total investment of nearly VND10 trillion.