The Thang Long-a thousand years of civilization bookcase is the highlight of the reading culture space. (Photo: Thuy Tien/VOV1)

The space is a free public library and also a cultural rendezvous where young generations can connect more deeply with national traditions while nurturing a love for books and passion for knowledge.

Truong Quoc Toan, the designer of the reading culture space at Van Lake, said the design aims to connect heritage, knowledge, and community, while encouraging public participation in cultural activities.

“I designed the bookcases to resemble doctoral steles. The 82 steles at the Special National Relic Site of the Temple of Literature are a huge library of 1,304 doctoral laureates. Each individual's life could be written as a book. I see each stele as a bookcase, and within it are many books, many collections of knowledge. Readers coming here will feel as if they are reading the books inscribed in the steles themselves.”

(photo: Thuy Tien/VOV)

Housing nearly 1,000 book titles donated by sponsors and circulated from the Hanoi cultural centre and library, the area at Van Lake offers readers a wide range of knowledge, including Thang Long – Hanoi history and culture, Vietnam’s Confucian scholars and academic traditions, literature and arts, as well as life skills.