IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS BY FOREIGN ARCHITECTS IN KAZAKHSTAN: IN SEARCH OF REGIONAL AUTHENTICITY

Abstract

Changes in the world policy and economy in the late 20th century, namely the collapse of USSR, emergence of new independent states, decline of confrontation between countries with differing socio-political order, technological progress in the field of IT, all contributed to rapid convergence, integration of world science and technology. Simultaneously in the world the processes of searching for political, historical, national, cultural and other identities have become topical. In the conditions of globalization, it is the regional identity that is scrutinized as an effective mechanism which is capable of uniting people, encouraging them to collaborative actions. Regional identity is a socio-cultural construction that appears depending on socio-economical and political circumstances in a specific historical period and expresses the position of the regional community. Regional self-identification is directed towards search of ways for self-preservation of regional unity. In contemporary Kazakhstan in the course of forming new regional strategy in economical, political and cultural-ideological spheres most actively regional identification tendencies are demonstrated in architecture. In order to position the image of Kazakhstan on the world arena as modern, dynamically developed country, the state's government has adopted a decision: for purposes of designing country capital's construction sites to draw renowned foreign architects along with Kazakhstani specialists. In 20 years of constructing in the new capital local and foreign architects have implemented dozens of projects that embraced local traditions and global trends in architecture and became cultural brands of Kazakhstan. Notwithstanding doubts that foreign architects shall not account for regional characteristics of Kazakhstan, their projects convey relevant ideas while adapting to modern realities of our country and speeding progressive technological and artistical-creative tendencies. From one side, collaboration with world-level experts pays its dividends in the form of introducing new technology of construction into local practice. From the other side, the look of "alien" culture ambassador on the architecture of Kazakhstan, combination in real practice of versatile solutions with creative interpretation of regional features is an interesting problem that requires analysis and thought. It can be stated that in 20 years of building the new capital the architecture of Astana has become a unique laboratory of modern regional architecture of Kazakhstan. Major roles in this act have been played by foreign architects, the authors of unique objects designed in Astana - Kisho Kurokawa, Norman Foster, Manfredi Nicoletti and others. The purpose of the article is to prove the thesis on the value of integrating foreign experience for comprehension of regional identity in the architecture of Kazakhstan.