The Stolitsa underground shopping mall in Minsk (architect Mikhail Gaukhfeld) has been recognized the CIS best development 2008. The decision was taken by the Coordination Council of the International Association of the Union of Architects (IAUA) after the 16th International Contest on the 2008 Best Project on October 3.

Partaking in the competition were nearly 90 projects from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, of them 66 were architectural projects and 28 completed constructions.

Three more objects of the Belarusian competed projects took part in the contest: reconstruction of Lenina Street and Svoboda Square in Minsk, a dwelling house at the crossroads of Rokossovskogo and Plekhanova Streets, upgrading of the Mir Castle in the Grodno oblast.

After the awarding ceremony in the Minsk Palace of Arts, main specialist in architecture and town-planning of the Minskproyekt Company Mikhail Gaukhfeld told BelTA that it is a significant event for Minsk architects that proves Belarus’ efforts to develop the Belarusian capital were highly assessed.

Architectural projects also partook in the international contest, although the experts were not able to define the winner in the category. Belarus was presented by four projects: an educational and tourist center in the Festivalny recuperation camp in the village of Orlovschina, the Volozhin region, the Minsk oblast, an office and trading centre with a restaurant and an underground parking in K.Libnekhta Street in Minsk, an architectural decision within Lenina Street – the railways – River Svisloch in the Belarusian capital and the Belarusian Potash Company. The latter was awarded a diploma of the first degree.

Minsk hosted the 16th International Contest on the 2008 Best Project in line with the 16th session of the IAUA Coordination Council. The contest has been organized by the IAUA and the CIS Interstate Humanitarian Cooperation Fund. The previous competitions took place in Astana, Baku, Bishkek, Yerevan, Kiev, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tbilisi.