Amid the endless plains of Kazakhstan, an extraordinary architectural
experiment has arisen: Astana. Formerly an outpost of the Tsarist Empire
in the barren steppe, the location had developed into a typical Soviet
provincial town. However, both internationally renowned and local
architects are now designing spectacular and unique buildings in this
dynamic city. Furthermore, Astana will host the Expo 2017 which will
take place only twenty years after the city was built in the steppe
alongside the old centre, based on a masterplan by Kisho Kurokawa. This
exhibition is meant to finally promote the Kazakh capital to the premier
league of global metropolises. The book documents eighty diverse
buildings and projects, examining the contradictory nature at play
within oriental traditions, western models and Soviet influences.
Therefore, this publication represents a critical analysis of Central
Eurasian architecture at the beginning of the 21st century.