Title: Could Uzbekistan Be the Next Architectural Sensation?
After the destructive 1966 earthquake, Tashkent transformed into a testing ground for urban design. Architects flocked to rebuild roads, apartment complexes, theaters, shopping centers, metro stations, and various public structures, each offering a unique take on progressive socialist living.
Now, the city is poised for further development, with renowned architects like Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando working on new projects. The upcoming 2025 Asian Youth Olympic Games will bring an "Olympic City" featuring five cutting-edge sports venues. Beyond the capital, ancient cities like Bukhara, Samarkand, and Khiva boast a wealth of domed markets (toki), schools (madrasa), and inns (caravanserai) for Silk Road traders.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev's government is working diligently to promote Uzbekistan's architectural heritage as a global draw. Restoration of historic sites is a top priority, with Gayane Umerova, chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art & Culture Development Foundation, stating that the investment will generate increased tourism revenue, job creation, urban renewal, and cultural branding.
The nation's collective identity is a recurring theme as it seeks independence from its Soviet past. Young Uzbeks, constituting 60% of the population, tend to prefer Western-style living spaces and are proud of the glossy towers in Tashkent's international business district, such as the sprawling Tashkent City Mall. However, there is sometimes tension between modernity and preservation efforts, as evidenced by the controversial demolition of the iconic Dom Kino cinema house in 2017.
To push for preservation, the Uzbekistan Art & Culture Development Foundation has hosted exhibitions, conferences, and developed a Tashkent Modernism app and extensive book called "Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI." The foundation's efforts have proven effective in attracting external support, as seen with French photographer Frédéric Chaubin's influential book "CCCP: Cosmic Communist Constructions" and subsequent expeditions by architects and photographers.
Uzbekistan is once again serving as a magnet for progressive architectural ideas, with a focus on sustainability. Wael Al Awar, curator of the Bukhara Biennial, highlights the country's ancient structures, constructed with local knowledge, as examples of energy-efficient design. Local architect Takhmina Turdialieva encourages the use of traditional building materials like brick and clay, noting that such eco-friendly methods can create modern designs while preserving culture.
These modern ideas are being showcased in projects like the New Tashkent City, which aims to be a hub of sustainable design. The Alisher Navoi International Scientific Research Centre, for instance, employs locally sourced bricks to achieve a distinctive, futuristic look. As this vision of modernity unfolds, it has the potential to inspire and support the next generation of Uzbek architects.
The renovation of Tashkent post-1966 has led to a diverse architecture style showcase, with each rebuilt structure offering a unique interpretation of progressive socialist living. In the quest for modernity, young Uzbeks express a preference for Western-style living spaces, evident in the glossy towers of Tashkent's international business district.
