Individualism of 5 groups of people while hitching a ride from a biker dealer as a platform to explore the city (Lim, 2019)
Auto-Ethnographic Study: Ho Chi Minh City
The alleyways are a place of business, a natural extension of homes, an epitome of the most appropriated vibrant social space and also a space of quietness. So, if the alleyways in HCMC is real estate for work, then it is a necessary space for different forms of transaction. The people’s appropriation of the alleyway hints to a tethered image of activity and space usage. Possessions like motorbikes, small chairs and tables contributes to a set rules on how the space is used. Throughout the course of 24 hours, alleyways can be empty and motorbikes will either zoom through or park accordingly. It can also be filled with commercial activities marked by small chairs and tables that will slow traffic to invite people for rest and commune.
Site Documentation of Alleyway in Ward 1, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City (Lim, 2020)
Stakeholders (Problem Identification)
Government
Directive 88 (88/2007/Q-D-UBND)
The proposed government approach to manage livability in alleyways is a hard and mathematical solution which lacks the changing context of its occupants.
Residential Community
Relocation of homes into multi-level block coupled by the hustle and bustle of the alleyways traffic and vehicles has forced children and communities to limit recreational activities within the blocks due to a lack of designed space for these user groups.
Merchant
The roadmap towards modernity is liquid. Homes become merchants, narrow alleyways are contested as real estate which creates timely re-occurrence of traffic clusters. As technology fuels this growth, the architectural limitation has to respond to it.
Consumer
Consumer sentiment towards convivence has caused a surge in food deliveries and demand for other services. As many small merchants are located in households, their scale of operation are unable to manage the increased demand.
Tourist
Retaining tourists in a location for a period of time is required as this user group contributes tremendously to the modernity of residents. However, many roaming tourist lack visual cues to explore spaces with potential.
Technology
The visual and spatial cue of “how it works” is primarily focused on a user digital device. Technology has provided a strong platform to sequence movement, architecture has to respond accordingly.
Millennial Nomad Space 
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