In the final days before the fall of Saigon in 1975, 125,000 Vietnamese resettled in the United States. Finding themselves in unfamiliar places yet still connected in exile, these refugees began building their own communities as memorials to a lost homeland. Known both officially and unofficially as “Little Saigons,” these built landscapes are the foundation for Assistant Professor Erica Allen-Kim’s latest book.  

Building Little Saigon: Refugee Urbanism in American Cities and Suburbs (University of Texas Press) provides an in-depth look at how Vietnamese American communities have shaped urban landscapes across the U.S. Allen-Kim’s research focuses on the architectural and planning approaches adopted by Vietnamese Americans over the past 50 years, showing how these efforts have influenced mainstream urban practices.  

For Allen-Kim, the connection to this research is close to home. “Growing up in Southern California, I spent my childhood in Orange County's Koreatown, just next door to Little Saigon,” she says. “I saw how ethnic entrepreneurship was changing in response to generational shifts as well as broader transnational movements. I wanted to document the buildings, memorials and storefronts of these communities.”  

Through visits to 10 Little Saigons and interviews with developers, community planners, artists, business owners and Vietnam veterans, Allen-Kim examines the challenges and successes in building and maintaining these communities. Building Little Saigon highlights the role of everyday buildings—from family-owned businesses to cultural centres—in reflecting and preserving cultural heritage. 

Allen-Kim’s work contributes to the understanding of how immigrant communities shape urban environments. By exploring the design and function of various spaces within Little Saigons, Building Little Saigon offers insights into the broader impacts of migration on city planning and architecture. 

The book will be featured in the Fall 2024 Community for Belonging Reading Group at the Daniels Faculty. This initiative, open to all Daniels students, alumni, faculty and staff, will focus on the theme “Reclaiming Place and Identity in Urban Diasporas.” Participants will read Building Little Saigon alongside Denison Avenue, by Daniel Innes (illustrations) and Christina Wong (text). 

Building Little Saigon is available for checkout at the Eberhard Zeidler Library in the Daniels Building and for purchase online.