
Astana train station
Astana, Kazakhstan, Tabanlıoğlu Architects
Set to be the major infrastructural legacy of Astana Expo 2017, this massive new station has been under construction since 2014. Designed by the Turkish studio Tabanlıoğlu Architects and ultimately expected to serve around 35,000 commuters a day, the station is timed to open in June, alongside the expo, connecting six lines and helping visitors navigate the city. The ribbon-like steel roof of Astana’s new rail station dominates the landscape, lightweight yet durable enough to handle the harsh local weather, with inset glazing and a distinct peak over the central atrium. ‘We wanted the monolithic structure of the roof to shape the space,’ says architect Murat Tabanlıoğlu, ‘all the while creating a symbolic building that reflects the modern and contemporary aspects of the new capital of Kazakhstan.’ He speaks of transport hubs becoming ‘the iconic meeting places of our era’. This being Kazakhstan, there’s also a certain amount of ceremonial pomp, and the new station sits on an axis with the presidential palace, with acres of empty space awaiting new development all around. ‘It’s a potential new landmark in Astana’s nature, social life and contemporary architecture,’ says Tabanlıoğlu.
Photography: Emre Dörter