Business in... Astana I 31
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Steppe
Kazakhstan’s young capital has bold ambitions to assert itself as a world-class city and a future centre for green energy, reports Tamsin Cocks
stana is an architectural playground. The Kazakh Steppe’s vast terrain has been used as a canvas to showcase an eclectic mix of engineering feats, with avant-garde marvels ranging from the space-age Khan Shatyr shopping mall – a
giant transparent tent – to the cycling helmet-shaped velodrome, both projects by eminent British architect Norman Foster.
Filled with contemporary masterpieces, the new capital of Kazakhstan delivers a clear message of modernity from the leading Central Asian nation. Not yet 20 years old, Astana has been somewhat overshadowed by the former capital Almaty, which continues to reign as the financial and cultural centre and home to the primary international airport. But things are set to change. Driving in from the airport, my first glimpse of the
surreal cityscape is an idiosyncratic trio of structures along Tauelsizdik Avenue. The stunning white Hazrat Sultan Mosque stands across from the angular marble National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan while the giant glass Palace of Peace and Accord pyramid floats in the distance. Across the city’s long quadrangle of amazing edifices there’s a hint of Dubai-meets-Vegas, with the gleaming Kazmunaigaz building, the golden globe-topped Baiterek tower and a Renaissance-style opera house. Like it or loathe it, it’s an undeniably impressive sight to behold.
Left: The impressive quadrangle of Astana’s downtown area
businesstraveller.com
FULL OF ENERGY Next year, however, all eyes will be focused on one massive glass sphere. The iconic ten-storey orb will form the centre of Expo 2017, a major annual international exposition to be held in Astana from June 10 to September 10. It’s the first time a former- Soviet Union country has been the host nation for such an event, and the gravity of the subject matter is
NOVEMBER 2016
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