Casual Friday: Astana's World Architecture

In previous Casual Fridays, we looked at yurts, a kind of nomadic architecture, and the great Islamic architecture in Khiva and other Central Asian heritage sites.  I want to turn to some of the newest Central Asian architecture. 

I picked Astana because the capital of Kazakhstan moved here from Almaty in 1997-1998. Therefore it has been developed for governmental purposes: and Kazakhstan has had sufficient budget to infuse their architecture with the stuff of national aspirations, dreams, and a burgeoning national identity.  The best of the work seems to take into account both nomadic and Islamic shapes in a new way.  The city has a master plan for development.  After commissioning a design tender worldwide,  picked the presentation made by Kisho Kurokawa, a Japanese architect of repute.  According to the World Almanac site, the design motifs for the Astana plan were “symbiosis,” “metabolic city,” and “abstract symbolism.” It is widely believed that President Nazarbaev provides the guiding hand in ensuring that this project continues according to the plan.

I well remember the brouhaha about Brasilia, Brazil's created capital city.  At first, it was a bureaucratic nightmare as state institutions had to move all at once to a new locus of control back in the 1970's.  Architectural commentary at the time talked about how stark and unliveable it was, but the plantings were all new, and people unaccustomed to its style.  Now it is justly considered beautiful.    

But never mind Brazil: let's go to Astana.  This is the newest: the Khan Shatyry Entertainment Centre–and isn't it amazing?  According to its architects, Foster and Partners: 

The Khan Shatyry Entertainment Centre in Astana will become a dramatic civic focal point for the capital of Kazakhstan. The soaring structure, at the northern end of the new city axis, rises from a 200m elliptical base to form the highest peak on the skyline of Astana.  Co-architects: Linea Tusavul Architecture, Gultekin Architecture.  The building will also be an engineering as well as artistic masterwork, with specialized construction polymers, and who knows what else.

Then there is the award-winning Tetrahedron.  Architectural Week says: the Tetrahedron in Astana, Kazakhstan, was designed by Tabanlioglu Architecture & Consulting. The metal facades change color according to the time of day and season.  Inside Tetrahedron is a social and cultural center with conference facilities, a museum, library, university, retail outlets, restaurant, and cafes.
Image: Tabanlioglu Architecture and Consulting. 

There is more about this at Wired New York, including cut-away diagrams.  And Hugh Pearman has some great interior shots which help one envision the project's heroic scale.

The landmark Baiterek tower:  Baiterek means ‘high poplar’ and the round shape is supposed to be the egg of a legendary bird, the Samruk.  The tower is 97 meters high to commemorate Astana's 1997 inauguration as Kazakhstan's capital.     

Photos: Taipei Times; Theodora.com; Foster & Partners; Architectural Week; World Almanac newsletter.

Makes me want to take a vacation, yes?