Cranes lifted massive cutting equipment onto the roof of the 1-3-5 Dinh Tien Hoang shopping center just after 11 p.m. as crews carefully began dismantling its thick concrete frame. The six-story mall, nicknamed the “Shark Jaw”, has long divided opinion among residents, urban planners and heritage advocates.

The demolition is being carried out with extraordinary caution due to the building’s prime location: directly adjacent to Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter, both protected as national heritage zones. Towering 8-meter fences now ring the site to contain debris and shield nearby businesses and pedestrian traffic from disruption.

In May, authorities cleared all commercial tenants and sealed off the building to prepare for the operation. However, city officials have not disclosed a timeline for the full demolition or the site’s reopening for redevelopment.

The space will eventually make way for an ambitious underground complex, part of Hanoi’s broader effort to expand Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, upgrade infrastructure and restore the historic district’s cultural appeal. The project aims to balance modern urban development with the area’s designation as a national special relic.

Constructed between 1991 and 1993 and operated by Hanoi Transport Corporation, the Shark Jaw has long stood at odds with the Old Quarter’s signature blend of French colonial and traditional Vietnamese architecture.

While many viewed it as an eyesore disrupting the lake’s historic ambiance, others considered it an emblem of Hanoi’s rapid modernization.