A contest to seek the best projects for preserving, embellishing and promoting the value of the archaeological site at No. 18 Hoang Dieu Street, which lies in the ancient Thang Long Imperial Citadel, was launched in Hanoi on February 12.

The contest was organised by the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre in conjunction with the municipal Department of Planning and Architecture and the Institute of Urban Planning and Architecture under the University of Construction.

It aims to encourage architects and designers to sketch out ideas towards the goal of bu ilding a community culture space with harmonious architecture, a stunning landscape and a highly developed technical infrastructure. The space should also be an integral part of the national political and administrative centre in Ba Dinh district, which includes the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the National Assembly Building.

The judgment council includes leaders of the municipal People’s Committee, the Ministries of Construction and Culture, Sports and Tourism, UNESCO’s representative office in Hanoi and the Vietnam Association of Architects along with domestic and foreign experts working in the fields of planning, architecture, archaeology and cultural heritage preservation.

All entries should be sent to the organisation board before April 10, 2014. The projects will be displayed from April 30, 2014.-VNA