White fa ç ade with undulating hollowing out: Zelini Contemporary Cultural Center

Views:260 Author:Site Editor Publish Time:2025-10-10 16:22:36 Orgin:Site

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In Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Tselinny Contemporary Cultural Center has officially opened, representing a transformation of the city's historic Tselinny cinema into a brand new cultural landmark. The architectural design of this project was created by London architect Asif Khan, and the entire cultural center covers an area of nearly 6000 square meters, including renovated interior spaces and surrounding landscapes, heralding a new era in the art field of the region.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

The design of this cultural center is ingenious, with a undulating facade that cleverly integrates contemporary cultural functions with the historical heritage of the Soviet era carried by the building, creating a space that can showcase both the historical style of Central Asia and the constantly developing creative future. Asif Khan found a perfect balance between updating the architectural structure and symbolic design elements in the design process, creating a cultural venue that not only evokes rich historical memories of Almaty, but also warmly accepts diverse audiences.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

This cinema was originally built in 1964 to commemorate the "virgin land" movement initiated by the Soviet Union. This politically significant project reshaped the connection between the region and the grassland landscape. However, after decades of baptism, the building gradually collapsed, and the originally grand auditorium was divided into multiple small spaces. The historic scratch painting (sgraffito) on the exterior wall of the building was also partially destroyed and disappeared.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

Since 2017, the Tselinny Center team has embarked on a carefully planned reconstruction project. Asif Khan worked closely with local architect Zaure Aitayeva to reinforce the building structure, enhance its seismic performance, and restore the clarity of the original spatial layout of the building. The scratch paintings of Soviet artist Evgeny Sidorkin were rediscovered in this reconstruction and restored in low-key tones, complementing contemporary art installations and harmoniously coexisting. At the entrance of the building, the soft curved, cloud like threshold design creates an open and dynamic atmosphere, which contrasts sharply with the grand overall framework of the building. Inside the building, the lowered ground level eliminates the existing height difference, creating a smooth public space that naturally extends to adjacent squares and green spaces.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

This renovation project removed the additional parts that affected the overall aesthetics of the building, while fully showcasing the stunning 18 meter high auditorium. After acoustic processing and integrated system installation, the current auditorium can meet the needs of various exhibitions and performances. The ground floor of the building is surrounded by a continuous strip of stainless steel and glass, allowing natural light to enter the interior and closely connecting the indoor space with the surrounding landscape.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

The newly designed relief symbol "Yunjing" spans the north and south facades of the building, inspired by traditional Kazakh decorative art and ancient rock paintings. This abstract design language is reflected in various details such as windows, lighting, and stairwells, cleverly integrating cultural memories into the building. Asif Khan preserved the exposed concrete structure of the building and matched it with geological finishes, making the entire project closely connected to Kazakhstan's natural history. The reception area uses limestone rich in fossils from the Mangystau area, while the earth toned concrete flooring and river stones taken from the Almaty terrain further extend the connection between the indoor space and the surrounding landscape.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

The interior space has been redesigned with multiple flexible and versatile galleries and gathering places, including the spacious Orta 3 auditorium, the white box capsule gallery, and a rooftop terrace overlooking the panoramic view of the Alatau Mountains in Ili.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

In addition, the newly built caf é, study studio, and quiet rooms further enhance the center's functional positioning as a community activity center.

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

©Laurian Ghinitoiu

Project Drawings