Emergence of Water Urbanism for Water Born “Can Tho”

Growing from water, Can Tho is a region on delta area of Southern Vietnam carved up by the currents of Mekong’s tributary, where settlements and water are closely interact. Being an important city, Can Tho puts in high expectations for investment calls that activate the growth of the city towards a new direction of urbanism. This trend seems to neglect its nature way of coping with water. In this connection, the intention of the research is to understand the urbanism in delta area of Can Tho, its confidences and fears the region has to experience and deal with. The intensive field work reveals an evaluation towards Can Tho’s spatial quality and major water problems. As a closing, the last section has share thoughts that different strategies of urban design to retrieve back the wisdom of living with water which are required for future urbanity of Can Tho region.

environment sensitive approaches, the urban designers also started to investigate the traditional communities to find their water resource management. It is the deviation that water bodies induce in the regular ordinariness of the built fabric that generates the most striking spatial quality of many water based cities.
Growing from water, Can Tho, a region on delta area of southern Vietnam carved up by the currents of Mekong's tributary, is one example of embryonic urban practices where settlements and water closely interact. The region develops in rapid on a land of productive landscape. However, as the heart of Mekong delta, Can Tho is put in high expectations for investment calls that activate the growth of the city towards a new direction of urbanism, which tendency seems to neglect its nature tendency in coping with water. In addition, external pressure from the climate change has put Can Tho region to encounter its crisis of being exist on its vulnerable land. This publication is intended to understand the water urbanism in delta area of Can Tho, its confidences and fears the region has to experience and deal with. Inventories of maps field works reveal intriguing findings which reveals an evaluation towards Can Tho's spatial quality and major water problems. As a closing, the last section will share thoughts that different strategies of urban design, which incorporate the wisdom of living with water, are required for future urbanity in Can Tho region.

Water and Bountiful Land of Mekong Delta
The Mekong delta is located in the region of southwest part of Vietnam where world's one of the longest rivers Mekong approaches and makes this delta resourceful with its distributed networks ( Figure 1). Being gifted by natural water and land resources Mekong delta is one of the most important agricultural and aquaculture production region of Vietnam which produces half of the total rice grows in this country, known as "rice basket" and 60 percent of fish production for all of Vietnam and accounts for 27 percent of Vietnam's total GDP. The mighty Mekong River in its last segment in Mekong delta with its enormous branches nested this extremely flat delta region (with elevation rising on average only about one meter (1 m) from the South China Sea to the international border at Châu Đoc) and the only source of fresh water with special ecological and hydrological characteristics. Water flow of Mekong River, heavy monsoon, tidal up and down of nested rivers by Gulf of Thailand in the west and the South China Sea intimately tied their life with water. All of these water forces shape this delta by sedimentation and tidal forces. Recognized by themselves as "river-water civilization" or "canal-creek civilization", Mekong delta clearly demonstrates the rich water landscape in this tropical wetland. Mekong Delta is the most downstream area of Mekong basin and it covers the nearly 5% of the basin. volume differs up to 70% -75%, this river generated its stream mainly from intraregional rainfall and riverhead ice melting. As the delta is bordered the Gulf of Thailand in the west and the South China Sea in the east also has great influence of the hydrological character in this region and affect the water flow over 100 kilometers in inland. The Great Lake (Tonle Sap) in Cambodia also plays a very important role for regulating water flow to the downstream which takes the inflow water from Mekong River during high season and influence the water flow in downstream in dry season. This also affects the flood in Mekong delta and lengthens the flood period. Being low in elevation this delta periodically flooded by rising Mekong River and water inflow due to tidal force of surrounded seas that make the land fertile by sedimentation. So, their unique water features crisscross this land by waterways for many miles making the delta extremely fertile, productive and sustainable for both in agriculture and aquaculture [5].
The unique landscape setting of this region also helps to make it more productive. There are huge back swamp areas in lower Mekong basin which greatly varies in size and influence the water features also. Connected with the main rivers through canals and distributors, these swampy areas take the water from rising rivers which act as natural flood regulator. Silt deposition makes the land fertile and productive. The landscape here also altered in many ways from its start over two million years ago in the late tertiary period. Through settlements,

Contemporary Can Tho
• Terrain: Can Tho is created by alluvial soil sedimentation of Hau River, with even and flat terrain which is gradually low towards northwest-southeast direction (towards the sea of Hau River) and northeast-southwest direction (from Hau River to inland). At present, the city terrain is hollow at some  (Figure 3). The first layer, the indigenous settlements, was discovered along the waters.
When the infrastructures were more improved, the layer settlements altered to follow the infrastructures lines. Present development and urbanization are more based on the infrastructure, less concern about water. The informal settlements are mushrooming towards the water, directly facing the roads. The spaces for the waters have reduced gradually, replaced by permanent constructions. For many years, Can Tho has always faced the flooding problems during the high tide and rainy season. For that reason, recent developments tend to have higher platform or filled area to prevent the water disturbance.   Around: inter district connection: Each district is linked with a single primary road. Following the intensity between high to low urbanization, the roads vary for their width, quality, presence of pedestrian access, and the (badan jalan).
Within: internal connection: Main boulevard 10 -15 meter width main boulevard is divided into three lanes for each direction: four-wheel vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles. Spacious pedestrian path is found along the road with lines of trees. This pedestrian path was mostly constructed recently, and mostly higher than the buildings. Main boulevard is expected to distinct the visual quality, as main public and government buildings, cultural places, commerce, and private residences are set along the roads. Informal activities of temporary kiosks as well complement the liveliness of the streets. City street as secondary link, with less intensity, city street has the nature to rather replicate main boulevard's road experience, with smaller walkway and trees. Ground floor area of each building generally opens straight to the street to welcome the profit possibilities. Some buildings will expand their properties temporarily following the timing of the A. Siddiqua busy markets. Neighborhood street entering the neighborhood, the road becomes less frantic and extensive. Building typology from the city street is repeatedly brought to the neighborhood with less commerce at ground floor are.
Privacy and security needs are materialized with gates and fences, clearly separating the street, giving the houses another level of seclusion.
Alley: Narrow alley branches from the busy streets. Fronting on lean street corridor, this small access is sometimes constructed with gravels and stones, accessible only for pedestrians and two wheel vehicles. Proximity between the houses differs from 3 -5 meter. Space at ground floor or front part of the house is usually given for small selling function.
Rural pathway: In the rural area, thin pathway appears as gravel or dirt road, enabling the houses and farmlands to access the higher roads. Plots of building are smaller but less dense, with vegetation barrier for each compound's privacy.
Drainage system very seldom comes with the roads.

Concluding the Observation
Water is the identity of Can Tho. Through years the dwelling process has been always recruiting water as the main concern: water as the source of living, culture, emotions, place making, and nature. Can Tho is destined to be living with water. However, the role of water is decreasing. Infrastructure improvements bring another reference for new development. Rapid urbanization without any limits has created the type of a spontaneity, fragile, and uncertain urbanity.
Another additional factor is the external pressure from the environment. The rise of the sea level pushes Can Tho to receive flooding, extreme weather, erosion, and salinity intrusion within and into the region.

Mekong Delta
The Mekong delta, one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world, within the very complex hydrological system, is facing extreme changes and environmental disordered day by day. Due to great stream coming from Mekong River, close vicinity to sea, low land elevation, and dense distributions of water courses make it more common for flooding and other water related disasters. Now a day, this delta faces extreme flood events which are more frequent during wet months; draught, salinity (sea water) and acid intrusion into soil in dry season; drinking water shortage; frequent storms; river erosion, destruction of natural wetland and loosing biodiversity. Water controlling dams in the upper stream, ice melting in mountain peak due to earth temperature rise, changing climatic condition, sea level rise, extreme population changes and migration, occupying the natural wetland and forest for agriculture and construction are assuming the major reasons for these water related disasters. By 2050, more than 1 million people will be directly affected in the Mekong Delta from risk through coastal erosion and land loss, primarily as a result of the decreased sediment Journal of Water Resource and Protection A. Siddiqua delivery by the rivers, but also through the accentuated rates of sea-level rise [7].
The Climate Change Research Institute, at Can Tho University, has introduced a script of climate in the Mekong Delta in the next 20 years. There they mentioned that due to more reduction of rainfall in dry season and late coming rainy season will make the draught of Mekong Delta severe by 2030. In some coastal provinces rainfall will reduce by more than 25%. Due to draught sea water is penetrating into mainland including arable land which will be severe with the coming fiercer draught. Due to insufficient fresh water flow in the Mekong River cannot displace saline intrusion from soil. For some provinces, near to sea remain extensively salinized for 4 -6 months a year. ICEM estimated that with sea level increase by 100 cm, the salt concentration will increase 10.3 g/l. In the wet months, almost 50% of the delta is flooded. Flood will be very vibrant and unimaginable in coming future both the degree of severity and the frequency.
Heavy rainfall in rainy season along with sea level rise, flood will be more serious. During rainy season 2/3 areas of Mekong Delta will be submerged with 1.00 m sea water level raise. Ben Tre province will be mostly affected with 51% inundation whereas Can Tho will be submerged by 24.7% by 2030 among the most affected province in Mekong Delta [8].

Can Tho
Located on the hub of Mekong delta Can Tho, the biggest and one of the major city of the region also suffers from flood, draught, salt intuition, ecological destruction which are further worsening by sea level rise and global climate change. Sited on the west bank river Hau-one of the bigger branches of Mekong River, the city also has a dense system of rivers and canals serving for agriculture, aquaculture, navigation and water supply and others for the region. Increasing urbanization, industrialization, pressure on agriculture land, huge migration pressure, alteration of natural land and water courses for more profitable production purpose also considering manmade reasons these natural disasters and make this city one of the most vulnerable localities in the Mekong region.
Sea level rise is accelerating all of these environmental problems. It has been es-

Closing: Emergence of Urban Design
As the population is increasing, land sinking due to sea level rise, people displaces from the more affected area to comparatively higher land in the upstream, To restore the environmental quality for people and nature, tackle water related disasters, improve flooding condition, and survive from sinking; new attitude and approach is imperative towards land structuring for future urbanization. As water logging and flooding within the city is the reason of improper water network and destroyed drainage system, reading the unique water-landscape and restore them is vital now. Nature sensitive urban design is essential where land-water consider in a sustainable way; urban design, engineering and management need to form a team in a new and integral way. Landscape and waterscape of the city and their heritage strongly required restore by reading previous condition. How to deal with water in a more logical and sustainable way-that could be the key issue of this conscious urbanism. By providing solution for existing water problems the nature and water-based urbanism might help to reinvent water based traditions to integrate present and future requirements of water management, ecology and open space development. New urbanism needs to be structured by the logic of landscape and waterscape, integrating Figure 8. Water taking the built area as urbanization occupying its place.