There certainly will be no skyscrapers in it. On the other hand, it will be full of futuristic-looking, exclusively solar powered round buildings and domes that will seem like they belong to another planet.
Where exactly? In Kazakhstan, more precisely in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana. The city will be hosting an expo in 2017, and to its honor, part of the city will be transformed. The plans, already approved by the country’s government, were executed by two Chicago-based architects, Adrian Smith and Gordon Gills. These two architects are the very ones who dreamed up world’s tallest building, the Kingdom Tower (under construction).
The breathtaking design is obviously not cheap. The Kazakhstani government needs to reach deep in its budget in order to turn the virtual plans into reality. A most surprising fact, though, is that out of the 44 candidates’ plans that were judged, Smith & Gill’s proved to be the most cost effective.
Of course, the city’s local government wishes to use the buildings after the expo is over, and the anticipated 3 million visitors and exhibitors are gone – a challenge the two architects need to take into consideration as well.
