Authorities in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem district suggested some locations for the zero-milestone design contest in the framework of the project on renovation for the area around Hoan Kiem Lake, launched on June 3.

The launching of the zero-milestone design contest. Photo: Kinh te & Do thi.

The locations under consideration are the intersection of Hang Khay – Dinh Tien Hoang, replacing the Swiss flower clock currently in this position; the place opposite to the Ly Thai To Statue nearby Hoan Kiem Lake; the square in front of the Ly Thai To Statue; or locations proposed by contestants.

The suggestions were made by local architects, artists, historians and urban experts in the past years.

Earlier, Pham Thanh Tung, chief of the Vietnam Association of Architects, told Kinh te & Do thi that the location of the zero milestone should be the place between the Town Hall and the Hanoi Post Office.  

Meanwhile, Tran Ngoc Chinh, former deputy minister of Construction and chairman of the Vietnam Urban Development and Planning Association, said that Hoan Kiem Lake is the heart of the city and anywhere around the lake deserves to be the zero milestone. 

The place for erecting the zero milestone of any city is usually the post office, Chinh added, therefore the would-be zero milestone of Hanoi should be somewhere around the Hanoi Post Office (currently known as VNPT Hanoi building) and the square in front of the Ly Thai To Statue nearby is the most appropriate place.

Tran Huy Anh from the Hanoi Association of Architects suggested the area near the King Le Temple on Le Thai To street for the zero milestone construction. The location would harmonize with many existing beautiful architectural works such as Luc Thuy house and the main office of Nhan Dan newspaper. Besides, this is also a public area that usually attracts a lot of people at the annual festival of King Le.

Vice President of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association Dao Ngoc Nghiem said the landscape around the lake has already been shaped and it seems that no place is left for the work. 

Therefore, this project should be located near the upcoming station C9 of the city’s subway. As such, the green area of the zero-milestone combined with the public underground space of the station will create an attraction in the city's center, Nghiem added.

Local scientists also said that the zero-milestone construction needs to take into account the convenience and safety for tourists’ movement and photo taking. It shouldn’t be located in a narrow space and have a moderate height, they said.