Landscape Architecture
Public Space
In 2021 , we were invited to take part in a design competition for the regeneration of Navoi Park in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The scheme comprised the Istikol Palace of Arts concert hall and a number of other cultural buildings in central Tashkent city. The principal challenge involved activating the park as a cultural landmark, and transforming assets and outdoor spaces that were ill-suited to visitors’ needs. A lack of unity among the buildings and spatial arrangements added to the complexity of the task.
Our vision involved using the regeneration of the Istikol Palace as a catalyst for the development of a wider cultural district within Navoi Park. We proposed retaining several of the disparate buildings and monuments within the site, introducing new ones, and consolidating these to form a unified cultural destination. Our overarching aim was to create a newly activated park and waterscape; a place that attracts people for a full day of activities, rather than just a single concert visit.
Drawing on the Uzbek Avant Garde and the principles of formal garden design pioneered by Le Nôtre, our work combined expressionistic Islamic influences with the laws of perspective. This enabled us to leverage pattern-based designs and frame magnificent sweeping vistas. We also replaced large sterile areas of surface parking with rich and re-naturalised parkland. And the diversion and extension of canals creates ecological corridors, waterfront boulevards and leisure activities, bringing this new cultural district to life.
