On December 24, 2025, at the headquarters of the Hoàn Kiếm Ward People’s Committee (No. 126 Hàng Trống Street), the Hoàn Kiếm Ward People’s Committee organized the launch ceremony for two important landscape architectural design competitions, including: (1) the Design Competition for the Landscape Architecture of Đông Kinh – Nghĩa Thục Square (Phase 2); and (2) the Design Competition for the Landscape Architecture of the Eastern Square-Park of Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Phase 2).
Attending the launch ceremony were representatives of the leadership of Hanoi City; representatives of relevant departments, agencies, and sectors; the Vietnam Association of Architects; experts in the fields of planning, architecture, and landscape; along with numerous consulting firms and architects from Vietnam and abroad who expressed interest in participating in the competitions.
The two competitions are organized to concretize the major policies of Hanoi City on investment in renovation and enhancement of public spaces around Hoàn Kiếm Lake in accordance with resolutions, decisions, and directive documents of the Central Government and the City; at the same time, they represent an important step in seeking creative and feasible design ideas to serve as a basis for implementing investment projects in the next phase.
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Design Competition for the Landscape Architecture of Đông Kinh – Nghĩa Thục Square (Phase 2)
Đông Kinh – Nghĩa Thục Square is identified as a multifunctional square, closely associated with the architectural and landscape space of Hoàn Kiếm Lake – the historical and cultural center of the Capital.
The competition aims to seek creative, identity-rich design ideas that meet the following requirements:
- Organize the overall architectural and landscape space of Đông Kinh – Nghĩa Thục Square in accordance with the approved 1/500 master plan, ensuring practicality, feasibility, and investment efficiency;
- Create a distinctive public space serving cultural, artistic, recreational, and community activities, with educational value and contemporary aesthetics;
- Harmoniously exploit the historical, cultural, and landscape values of the Hoàn Kiếm Lake area, playing the role of a transitional space between the Old Quarter and Hoàn Kiếm Lake;
- Propose appropriate functions, amenities, and operational models for the square; apply new technologies to enhance spatial experience and community interaction.
The competition calls for broad participation from organizations, individuals, and joint ventures operating in the fields of architecture, planning, landscape, and creative industries. The total expected prize value is up to VND 600 million, including 01 First Prize, 01 Second Prize, and 01 Third Prize.
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Design Competition for the Landscape Architecture of the Eastern Square-Park of Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Phase 2)
The eastern square-park area of Hoàn Kiếm Lake is a special public space that plays an important role in connecting Hoàn Kiếm Lake with the historic inner city and the public transportation system, particularly the TOD area and Station C9.
The competition is organized with the aim of seeking high-quality, creative design ideas that meet the following key requirements:
- Organize the square-park space in connection with the green system on the eastern side of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, creating an environment for community activities, cultural and artistic events, exhibitions, and outdoor events; at the same time, ensure compliance with the approved 1/500 master plan of the TOD area east of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Station C9 in Hoàn Kiếm Ward, Hanoi City;
- Propose solutions for public transportation connectivity, creating pedestrian-friendly spaces and limiting private vehicles;
- Preserve and promote the value of architecturally significant buildings in the area, ensuring landscape harmony;
- Study solutions for utilizing underground spaces for commercial, cultural, service functions, and parking, in synchronized connection with Station C9;
- Reorganize traffic, greenery, and landscape to form cultural-historical spatial axes, contributing to the completion of the overall landscape of the Hoàn Kiếm Lake area.
The Organizing Committee expects the competition to attract many ideas that are creative, practical, and highly feasible, serving as a basis for implementing subsequent investment projects. The total expected prize value is up to VND 1 billion, with a structure including 01 First Prize, 01 Second Prize, and 01 Third Prize.
Opportunity to Create Distinctive Creative Cultural Spaces for the City
Speaking at the launch ceremony, the leadership of the Hoàn Kiếm Ward People’s Committee emphasized: “Organizing architectural design competitions is an important step to select high-quality creative ideas, contributing to the preservation and promotion of historical and cultural heritage values, while meeting the requirements of sustainable and modern urban development of Hanoi Capital”.
The professional discussion session on planning, architecture, and landscape issues of the Hoàn Kiếm Lake area and its surroundings was led by Dr. Architect Phạm Anh Tuấn (Chairman of the Landscape Architecture Chapter – Hanoi University of Civil Engineering), with the participation of a large number of architects attending the launch ceremony. This session was highly appreciated by professionals for providing many useful insights for researchers as well as competing teams.
It is known that within the framework of the two competitions, the Organizing Committee will continue to organize professional exchange activities, provide information, and connect with participating teams. The results of the two competitions are expected to be announced and awards presented in February 2026.
For detailed information about the competitions, please contact:
M.Arch. Nguyễn Ánh Dương – Architecture Magazine – Vietnam Association of Architects
Phone: +84 916 555 198 – Email: duong@tckt.vn
Architect Vũ Ngọc Thành – Project Management Board for Investment and Infrastructure, Hoàn Kiếm Ward
Phone: +84 904 833 057
To register and receive competition materials, please follow the instructions at: https://forms.gle/RqmhwrFzDXnpEfka6
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