Danang, a secondary city subject to aspirational urbanism

Résumé En

Danang is the third largest urban area of Vietnam, and the only urban area of demographic and functional importance in the Central region of the country. It was previously considered as peripheral, but it has now become an emerging metropolis and a key player in Vietnamese growth, both as a magnet for investment and in wealth creation. In this city profile, we trace the urban development of Danang, from Doi Moi (reform) to the present, focusing on its emerging economy, and we analyze how a secondary metropolization process led to spatial transformations associated with planning and development strategies and urban policies. The increasingly urbanized coastal region is becoming a core element of the brand image of Danang. We present the strategies and key players involved in the unprecedented urban growth of this emerging metropolis, based on the new Master Plan to 2030 with Vision to 2050. The case of Danang City highlights the impact of desynchronized spatial planning on urbanization dynamics and reveals both the positive and negative impacts on the environment, with a critical review of recent policy, planning and management strategies.