Southeast Asia's River Urbanism: An Alternative to Road-Based Cities

An article by Ananya Nayak on ArchDaily argues that Southeast Asian cities like Bangkok, Hội An, and Palembang were historically organized around waterways rather than roads, producing a distinct urban morphology. Before automobiles, rivers served as streets, marketplaces, and public infrastructure. In Bangkok, a network of khlongs (canals) earned it the nickname 'Venice of the East,' with houses, temples, and floating markets oriented toward water. Hội An's merchant houses and warehouses along the Thu Bồn River reflect a UNESCO-recognized urban fabric where river access determined property value. Palembang's timber stilt houses on the Musi River adapted to seasonal floods while maintaining water-based transport. Colonial and national governments later prioritized road infrastructure, filling canals and reorienting buildings away from waterfronts. Today, climate adaptation efforts by UN-Habitat, World Resources Institute, and Deltares advocate for blue-green infrastructure that echoes these historical principles. The article concludes that roads are not a universal urban framework; river cities demonstrate alternative spatial logics where architecture, public life, and movement are shaped by water.