HÀ NỘI  Hà Nội is stepping up efforts to turn its cultural heritage into a driver of the creative economy by adopting a long-term and ecosystem-based approach aimed at making creativity a pillar of the capital’s sustainable development.

Since joining UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in the field of design in October 2019, Hà Nội has entered a crucial phase of transformation in its development mindset, shifting from preservation-led thinking to a model that links heritage with innovation and economic value.

Over four editions, the Hanoi Creative Design Festival has evolved from a standalone cultural event into a platform for testing new models that bring together heritage, community and creativity within the economic sphere.

The festival has helped revive a number of once-neglected heritage sites and foster a growing network of creative spaces. From the Gia Lâm train factory to historic areas across the capital, heritage is increasingly seen as an open resource capable of generating new value when reinterpreted in contemporary contexts.

Seeking to elevate creative design activities, Hà Nội has decided to hold the Creative Design Festival on a biennial basis, while shifting its focus from organising events to building a creative urban ecosystem. 

Activity frameworks are announced early to encourage proactive participation, alongside mechanisms to recognise outstanding models, individuals and businesses.

Building a creative ecosystem

Vũ Thu Hà, vice chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee (the city's administration) spoke at the launch of the activity framework for the 2026 Hanoi Creative Design Festival on December 11.

She said the city aims to turn projects and ideas that draw on cultural values, tangible and intangible heritage and traditional craft villages into creative initiatives with commercial potential and long-term development, thereby linking cultural preservation with innovation and economic growth.

The 2026 edition is positioned as a hub for connection, dialogue and experimentation with creative economic models. Activities will run from January to November 2026 across the city. 

A key feature of this edition lies in its spatial organisation based on layered values, reflecting a creative development mindset closely tied to the urban and heritage context.

Heritage as Creative Space

The heritage space centred on Đồng Xuân Market, Bắc Qua Market and the Đồng Xuân Cultural Industries Centre has been designated as the core area. 

Here, designers, creators and artisans will collaborate in installations and pilot cultural and commercial models, linking artisans, designers and traders to form heritage, creativity and commerce experience routes. 

The move aims to transform a traditional market into a creative economic space suited to a modern city.

The Kẻ Chợ space spanning Hà Nội’s Old Quarter and its historic 36 streets seeks to revive the traditional market, street and craft structure through creative trade streets linked to specific cultural industries, alongside educational and hands-on activities for students and young people.

Meanwhile, the ecological space on the Red River alluvial area is envisioned as a pilot area for an urban ecological symbiosis model, prioritising landscape art, local materials, circular design and seasonal experiences.

In mid-December, the municipal People’s Committee also launched the Hanoi Creative Space Network, marking a new phase in connecting cultural actors, venues and creative industries across the city.

UNESCO Chief Representative in Việt Nam Jonathan Wallace Baker said the shift from a festival-based approach to building a creative ecosystem will create sustainable opportunities for designers, artists, creative businesses, students and communities, adding that UNESCO strongly supports Hà Nội’s long-term vision of creativity. VNA/VNS