Flood-resilient urban design based on the indigenous landscape in the city of Can Tho, Vietnam

Natural conditions and indigenous culture are fundamental factors creating the hydrological landscape system of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. A study of the indigenous landscape is critical to understanding the interaction between human activities and natural processes, thereby enhancing the delta’s ability to cope with climate change and to control floods. This paper uses a case study of Can Tho City (CTC) to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of the local landscape system and explores how indigenous knowledge contributes to the sustainability of this landscape. The outcomes show (1) the complexity of balancing territorial organization and agriculture needs and (2) the combination between these two factors and local knowledge of flood resilience making it possible to preserve a landscape system concerning complex hydrological dynamics, in the downstream section of the Mekong River Basin. This paper argues that knowledge of indigenous agriculture cultivation and the functioning of local landscape system should be respected and used in the process of urban design to maintain sustainability over time. A scenario is discussed to emphasize the balance needed between a human-made environment and natural hydrodynamics to preserve the local landscape system and thereby enhance urban resilience to floods and climate change.