French architect Odile Decq will be a judge for the competition / YouTube

An open international architecture competition has been launched to design a future Science City in Egypt.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a major library and cultural centre, has organised the single phase, open contest to receive conceptual designs and masterplans for a 125,000sq m (1.35m sq ft) scientific complex designed to promote scientific knowledge to the public.

The city will house interactive science exhibitions, a museum, a planetarium, an observation tower, research and development facilities, workshops, plus a conference centre. The buildings will be implemented gradually in 6th of October City, outside Cairo.

According to the organisers, the Science City is intended to be a new landmark for Egypt symbolising the “evolving nature of science” in the country.

In a statement, they said: “The design of science city will create a set of buildings and spaces that must be inspiring on the outside and motivating and exciting on the inside to visitors and employees alike. It must express a particular vision of the search for knowledge and the pursuit of science.”

The registration deadline is 15 May 2016 and site visits will be organised on 22 May. The deadline for submissions is 17 August 2016 and the winner will be announced on 29 August.

Judges include award-winning French architect Odile Decq, who was recently handed the Jane Drew prize at the Women in Architecture Awards. She will be joined by Bibliotheca Alexandrina director Ismail Serageldin, British Museum founder Neil MacGregory and Union of International Architects representative Nikos Fintikakis.

The winning entry will receive US$110,000 (€97,000, £76,500) in prize money.