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Khan-Shatyr tent complex opens in Astana
World's biggest tent structure honours Kazakhstani president
By Kapiza Nurtazina
2010-07-07
ASTANA -- In Astana, the Khan-Shatyr (Khan's Tent) recreational and shopping complex opened July 6. The giant transparent tent honoured the 70th birthday of President Nursultan Nazarbayev and the 12th anniversary of the founding of Astana.
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![Khan-Shatyr is the tallest tent structure in the world. [Official website of Khan-Shatyr complex]](/shared/images/2010/07/07/khan-shatyr-218_172.jpg)
Khan-Shatyr is the tallest tent structure in the world. [Official website of Khan-Shatyr complex]
![Khan-Shatyr is the tallest tent structure in the world. [Official website of Khan-Shatyr complex]](/shared/images/2010/07/07/khan-shatyr.jpg)
The opening of the complex, designed by British architect Norman Foster, symbolically represented the end of Astana's frenzied construction.
Khan-Shatyr sounds a symbolic note in the composition of buildings erected along the Yesil River's left bank. Beginning at the Kazak Eli (Kazakh People's) monument and the Palace of Peace and Harmony, an imagined line threads a path through the Ak Orda presidential mansion to the Baiterek tower. The thread rises into the sky together with the silver needle of Khan-Shatyr, the tallest tent structure in the world.
Construction of Khan-Shatyr began in 2006 and was supposed to end in 2009. However, technical difficulties, such as necessary installation of drainage pipes and poor weather, slowed construction. Even now, construction fences remain, showing that construction isn’t totally complete.
Raising the three-layer tent that covers the complex's grounds was the most challenging part of building Khan-Shatyr, said Yerbol Yeleuov, director of the Khan-Shatyr company. The complexity of the tent made building the tripod on which the Khan-Shatyr dome rests a matter of painstaking attention to detail, he said.
"Nowhere in the world has an awning covering such a large area been built", he said. "The weather complicated matters, … but the covering atop a vacuum pillow that we used worked. Indeed, the hardest part of the construction was raising the awning and building it over all of Khan-Shatyr".
At 150m, Khan-Shatyr is Astana’s tallest structure, but some are criticising the structure’s appearance.
"I like its volume and scale. But not when I consider the site they chose in Astana for it ", Astana sculptor Askar Yesdauletov said, "Furthermore, the covering looks too monotonous, like they're hiding some sort of design deficiency. Maybe they could have added some details or patterns to make it look more impressive".
The climate-controlled interior reminds visitors of European shopping centres. Restaurants, boutiques, cafes, bars, spas, a gym, a swimming pool, a cinema and playground for children are scattered on the grounds.
Landscapers have cultivated exotic tropical plants throughout the interior. They should thrive all year round, because the tent awning and the sunlight it allows will maintain a constant temperature. Swimmers and gym users can tan and exercise in any weather.
Already, crowds jam the 10,000 square metres of the complex in order to see this architectural and engineering feat. Visitors had different opinions.
"The new centre makes its own contribution to Astana's appearance and is quite extraordinary", raved a man who identified himself as Alibek, who came from Pavlodar for the festivities. "There's nothing Soviet about it. The interior is as classy as something you find abroad; it's not as banal as other Astana shopping centres like Mega and Aziya-park".
An Astana resident who gave her name as Svetlana was less impressed. "It's very well-built", she said, "but in many respects it resembles ... Mega and Aziya-park".
"It's hard for me to judge the quality of construction", said Murat, the Turkish owner of a small candy store inside Khan-Shatyr. "However, from a businessman's point of view, I can say it's a very attractive location, because we get a lot of visitors. I hope the centre lives up to expectations".
The structure cost more than US $300m, said Yeleuov, who wasn't certain of the exact amount. Factors that pushed up costs were the inability to finish on time and the need to hire foreign construction firms, he said. The complex might well be the most expensive structure built during Astana's prolonged construction boom, he said.
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Reader Comments
Khan Shatyr is awesome, we spent about 4 days there. I do not live in Astana, but I really like to go there! The only problem was that the pool was closed when we arrived. It was disappointing but we had a lot of fun. Please tell me if the swimming pool is open or not. We would like to go there.
I like Khan-Shatyr! A great choice of everything and affordable prices )))
I want to join.
This is a very beautiful Eastern-style and modern structure. I believe it makes Astana look beautiful, but a new more exquisite building may be erected in the near future because this is the capital!!! Just one question torments me, what is this tent made of?? Is it a sort of film or what??
Idiots, our Kazakhs do not understand that Khan Shatyr is controlled by the Turks and they take money from there. They built it with our money.
What are the admission fees and the prices? Tell me, please.
Great, the deep, fear, yeah I'm scared))
Very nice, and the name, too.
The capital city needs you "Khan Shatyr"
A magnificent structure, everything's great, we should be proud that it is here in Kazakhstan! Everybody come and relax))
This is the most beautiful place in Kazakhstan.
Hello! Khanshatyr is a wonderful place! Can you tell me how much is the rent or... in short, I want to open a dance studio there! Please, give me some advice!
I have seen it on the Internet but I have never been there. The outward appearance is not that attractive but it is cool inside, the beach and stuff.
wonderful.
This is very beautiful, but why the main beam off kilter? I am interested…
Admission to the beach is 8,000!
Can you tell me how much does this beach in Khan Shatyr cost?
Orchestra, I have one place, not three.
Its like in real life - the posh Khan-Shatyr surrounded by poverty, there is not a construction site over the fence but rundown dachas, which have not been taken down, overgrown by weed.
A beautiful and rich capital means an attractive, successful country that is respected the world over. Kazakhstan, move forward! Astana is our common catalyst for development, peace and stability! -Amen
Is there a beach there? How much does it cost to have fun like this?
«All this beauty will be left to our children» - it will be necessary to take down these poor quality facilities in 15 years.
One can see the forest behind rare trees! Among the Central Asia's beautiful cities (Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand, Turkestan, Ashgabat, Baku, etc.) a new beautiful modern city of Astana has emerged and is being built in the north! One should give credit to the best achievements of the peoples of our "stans" because we make the region look more attractive to the rest of the world!
Money comes and goes, while the facilities built remain and rise in value. Keep it up!
We can and should be proud of the erected complex because such structures are proud and heritage for future generations. All that has been built and created is the beauty that will be left for our children. Many can disagree with it and say that it does not make sense to spend millions amid the crisis. Let me ask you, when should it be done? People always complain about their lives, politics, laws, although they choose the way they live. Read history of states where big construction projects began at a difficult time - the beautiful heritage stands until the present day. Take Peter the Great who began building a fleet and Saint Petersburg on a swamp at a difficult time. Now people have a beautiful city and a state with its fleet. One should not condemn what will be left behind. Unity is the most important thing. When we are united, we have peace in our state and our families.