Astronomy Park - a chance to explore the universe
Space enthusiasts in Hanoi have a new universe to explore. And they don’t have to leave earth, or even Vietnam to do it. Astronomy Park surrounds Bah Hop Thuy Lake, an abandoned detention basin in Ha Dong.
ECO Group were both the landscape architects and architects for the 120,000 m2 park, half of which is the lake. The design sets out to educate visitors about astronomy in a fun way, nurturing a curiosity of the wonders of far off planets.
It’s hoped that the park will encourage an interest in astronomy.
Visitors become astronauts on a journey through the Milky Way and nine highlights of astronomy, all told through the language of landscape architecture. The path is embellished with decorations representing the constellations of the Milky Way, and the lighting effects of different colours create a dramatic atmosphere for the park at night.
Four entrances to the park lead to four differently themed squares; Big Bang Square; Zodiac Square; Solar System Square and Alien Square. The inner route is a lakeside promenade, allowing closer connection to the water.
Garden of statues.
Big Bang Square, inspired by the cosmic explosion which formed the universe, is an outdoor stage used for festivals and fairs. Stroll a little further around the park to moonlight bridge, and you’ll discover a garden of statues of famous scientists and astronomers like Galileo, Stephen Hawking and Newton.
Zodiac Square is actually a circle representing the sky containing the 12 Zodiac signs. Each star in each constellation is a fountain creating a water art playground during the day, and playing a light show after dark.
Solar system square as its name suggests, is made up of planets orbiting the sun, each with a plaque of information to educate inquiring minds.
Younger visitors are particularly attracted to Alien Square, which comes complete with space ship and peculiar-looking beings. Sports fields and exercise equipment will be developed next to it in the next phase of the project.
The space ship is a favourite with young visitors.
A UFO zone is a playground for children with a topographic structure that mimics the space grid with protrusions and depressions like geological tectonics on the surface of planets like the Moon and Mars. Next to it is the International Space Station where parents can buy refreshments while their small charges explore.
And at the end of the journey is the Black Hole pit, which will eventually have a pool on the surface of the lake, forming a round crater surrounded by floating floors and a marina. It’s hoped to install telescopes here too so visitors can search the sky for a galaxy far, far away.
