Rhythmanalysis of pedestrian streets in Hanoi: A spatial–temporal reading of public spaces

Streetspace reallocation has been drawing considerable attention from city governments and practitioners, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last ten years in Vietnam, pedestrianization has rapidly been adopted by many cities across the country. Despite this, there is still a gap in our understanding of how pedestrianization is conceived and used in Vietnam and in other parts of the Global South, where high population densities and informal economic activities shape urban public spaces. Our research explored how pedestrian streets are imagined, used, and negotiated by different user groups (planners, locals, informal vendors, and visitors) in downtown Hanoi. Drawing on rhythmanalysis (Lefebvre, 1992), our conceptual framework included analyses of the street’s usage as well as socio-political aspects of rhythms. We conducted systemic observations of the pedestrian street in the spring of 2022 and 70 in-depth interviews in the summer of 2022. This research enriches the conceptualization of rhythms by introducing the dominant-adapting-dominated rhythms triad, which uncovers a network of power dynamics that limit informal-sector street vendors’ access to public spaces. By characterizing street sectors based on magnitude and types of rhythms, we demonstrate the methodological significance of rythmanalysis. Our findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and designers seeking to create more inclusive pedestrian streets.