The Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture has officially opened in Almaty, Kazakhstan, marking the transformation of the city’s historic Tselinny cinema into a new cultural institution. Designed by London-based architect Asif Khan, the project extends across nearly 6,000 square meters of renovated interiors and a landscaped site of equal size, signaling a new era for the region’s artistic community.

With its undulating facade, the design integrates contemporary cultural programming with the building’s Soviet-era legacy, offering a space that connects Central Asia’s history and its evolving creative future. Khan’s approach balances structural renewal with symbolic gestures, creating a destination that responds to Almaty’s layered past while welcoming a diverse public.

images © Laurian Ghinitoiu

a modernist soviet cinema revived

The Asif Kahn-converted Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture occupies an historic site in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Built in 1964, the original cinema commemorated the Soviet ‘Virgin Lands’ campaign, a politically charged project that reshaped the region’s relationship to its steppe landscape. Over the decades, the building fell into disrepair, its monumental auditorium subdivided and its historic sgraffito — scratched or carved — artwork partially lost.

Beginning in 2017, the Tselinny Center team initiated a careful reconstruction. Khan worked closely with local architect Zaure Aitayeva to stabilize the structure, strengthen it against seismic activity, and reintroduce its original spatial clarity. The rediscovered sgrafitto by Soviet artist Evgeny Sidorkin was restored with a restrained palette, allowing the work to coexist with contemporary art installations.

the Tselinny Center opens in Almaty as a new cultural landmark

the Tselinny Center renovation by asif kahn

The renovation removes intrusive additions while revealing the auditorium’s impressive 18-meter (59-foot) height. Acoustic treatments and integrated systems now support a range of exhibitions and performances. A continuous ribbon of stainless steel and glass wraps the ground floor, introducing daylight and linking the interior to the surrounding landscape.

A new ‘cloudscape’ of embossed symbols spans the north and south facades, drawing from Kazakh ornament and ancient petroglyphs. This abstract language appears in windows, lighting, and staircases, subtly embedding cultural memory into the architecture.

Asif Khan restores a Soviet cinema into a contemporary art venue

Asif Khan retained the building’s exposed concrete, complemented by geological finishes that ground the project in Kazakhstan’s natural history. Fossil-rich limestone from the Mangystau region forms the reception desk, while earth-toned concrete floors and river stones from Almaty’s terrain extend the connection between interior and landscape.

At the entrance, a softly curving, cloud-like threshold introduces a sense of openness and movement, counterbalancing the building’s monumental frame. Inside, a lowered ground plane eliminates level changes, creating a seamless public space that flows outward to adjacent squares and parkland.

a stainless steel ribbon brings daylight and 360 degree access

The reconfigured interior accommodates a series of flexible galleries and gathering areas, including the vast Orta 3 auditorium, the white-box Capsule gallery, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the Ile-Alatau mountains. A new café, learning atelier, and quiet rooms enhance the Center’s role as a community hub.

This design prioritizes adaptable, multi-format spaces, allowing the Tselinny Center to host performances, exhibitions, and interdisciplinary events without fixed orientation. The inaugural program, BARSAKELMES, sets the tone with a live performance staged in the round, drawing on ancient Kazakh traditions.

historic sgrafitto artwork is carefully revealed and renewed

cloudlike forms soften the concrete frame of the building

the project strengthens and preserves the original seismic structure

project info:

name: Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture | @tselinnycenter

architect: Asif Khan | @asifkhan.now

location: Almaty, Kazakhstan

previous coverage: January 2025

completion: September 2025

photography: © Laurian Ghinitoiu | @laurianghinitoiu 

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British architect Asif Khan is leading the conversion of a Soviet-era cinema into the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, located in Almaty, Kazakhstan. With its undulating facade, the project aims to establish the country’s first independent cultural institution. It will serve as a dynamic venue for art exhibitions, performances, and film screenings, with a particular focus on supporting creatives from Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

The transformation of the cinema, the largest of its kind in Central Asia, began in 2018. Set to open in April, the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture will reflect both its Soviet modernist roots and a forward-thinking design that accommodates the needs of contemporary cultural activities. The name ‘Tselinny’ draws on the word ‘tselina,’ meaning undeveloped but fertile land, a reference to both the original cinema and the potential of this new cultural space.

Asif Khan is converting a soviet-era cinema in Kazakhstan | image © Asif Khan

asif khan to Preserve Soviet Modernism of kazakhstan

The original 1964-built cinema, now the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, is a hallmark of Soviet modernist architecture in Kazakhstan, known for its simple, austere style. Architect Asif Khan’s approach emphasizes preserving much of the building’s existing structure, including its concrete frame and massing. The renovation maintains the integrity of this architectural legacy while adapting the space for its new purpose as a cultural institution.

While the auditorium has been structurally reinforced, the cinema’s foyer and wings have been rebuilt to meet modern seismic standards. This rebuilding process allows for improved access between the building’s interior and the surrounding landscape. The restored auditorium, an 18-meter-tall space, will feature a ground-floor ribbon of windows that provide ample natural light and views, connecting the historical core of the building with its surroundings.

the center in Almaty will focus on supporting Kazakh and Central Asian creatives | image © Asif Khan

the Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Facade

From the exterior, Kazakhstan’s Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture will feature a facade of fiber-reinforced concrete panels designed by Asif Khan to complement the existing glass entrance. The design will incorporate undulating vertical fins and petroglyph-like motifs, creating a visual contrast to the modernist architecture. These abstract motifs draw inspiration from an original sgraffito by artist Evgeny Sidorkin, which depicts traditional Kazakh life.

The reconstructed wings of the building will house a gallery, workshop spaces, a library, office space, and a bookshop, providing the infrastructure needed for the Tselinny Center to host a wide range of cultural activities. A rooftop terrace and restaurant, paying homage to Almaty’s historical ‘Broadway’ district, will complete the project, offering visitors a modern space for social engagement and reflection.

the project will preserve much of the cinema’s original soviet modernist architecture | image © MIR

a fiber-reinforced concrete facade will include undulating fins and abstract motifs | image © Asif Khan

the building’s auditorium has been reinforced while the wings are rebuilt for seismic safety | image © MIR

reconstructed wings will include a gallery, workshop, library, offices, and bookshop | image © Asif Khan

project info:

name: Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture | @tselinnycenter

architect: Asif Khan | @asifkhan.now

location: Almaty, Kazakhstan

status: ongoing

visualizations: © Asif Khan Studio, © MIR

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In her latest photo series, Slovenian photographer Danica O. Kus turns to the Canada Water boardwalk — a 170-meter-long timber structures that floats above the water’s surface and weaves a vivid pathway in London. Designed by Asif Khan as part of the expansive Canada Water masterplan, the pedestrian bridge extends from the Canada Water Library and Station to the Surrey Quays shopping center, appearing as a winding ribbon.

Its sinuous curves, bold red hue, and wooden slats — a nod to the site’s history of Victorian trade — become the muse for Kus. Her evocative imagery captures the structure under the clouds, gently illuminated at night, and glistening under the rain, bringing to life its relationship with both its urban and ecological surroundings.

all images by Danica O. Kus

the timber bridge winds through, leading a trail of red

British architect Asif Khan integrates the Canada Water boardwalk into its urban environment as a community space with a deep respect for the area’s historic character, as well as the existing  biodiversity that thrives there. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Surrey Docks were central to London’s timber trade, bustling with rafters and deal porters who hopped between floating timber planks.

‘Crossing water can give us powerful sensations. This boardwalk immerses us in a few moments of color, of nature, and of beauty. I want to evoke the crossing of time too. I hope this gives someone a chance to take a breath and look at things in a new way,’ shares Khan. Danica O. Kus’ photographs capture this sense of immersion and further echo this idea of movement, highlighting how the boardwalk mimics these historical crossings with its distinctive red timber surface.

Asif Khan’s Canada Water boardwalk

resting above the water, the structure preserves local biodiversity

Yet, Kus’s perspective isn’t solely about the past. Her photographs reveal a seamless intertwining of history and modern ecological innovation. The Canada Water Boardwalk hovers above the water and rests on a series of timber fins in order to enhance biodiversity, creating a mosaic of wetland habitats that attract dragonflies, kingfishers, frogs, and other wildlife. Kus was particularly drawn to the lighting design, she tells designboom, which minimizes wildlife disruption while enhancing the boardwalk’s aesthetic appeal — a dual purpose her lens vividly frames.

a 170-meter-long timber structures that floats above the water’s surface

the pedestrian bridge extends from the Canada Water Library and Station to the Surrey Quays shopping center

a red ribbon-like appearance

Danica O. Kus captures the structure’s vivid red and sinuous curves

the wooden slats are a nod to the site’s history of Victorian trade

‘This boardwalk immerses us in a few moments of color, of nature, and of beauty,’ shares Asif Khan

Asif Khan integrates the Canada Water boardwalk into its urban environment as a community space

resting on a series of timber fins in order to enhance biodiversity

project info:

name: Canada Water boardwalk

architect: Asif Khan | @asifkhan.now

location: London, UK

photographer: Danica O. Kus | @danica_o_kus_photography

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ADI Design Museum in Milan hosts the exhibition Architecture for Dogs, curated by MUJI artistic director and Japanese designer, Kenya Hara. Running between December 3rd, 2024 and February 16th, 2025, renowned architects and studios design their iteration of doghouses. It’s not just the typical V-shaped roof with an arched hole as the entrance. In the exhibition, the architecture for dogs ranges from ramps, cushions, and rugs to benches and even vertical doghouses, all of which are tailored to the usual needs of a specific breed. Kenya Hara and Hara Design Institute curates the exhibition, which marks its debut in Italy after the 2020 showcase in London, as an ‘island’.

The doghouses are spread out, so visitors can observe them individually. As they roam around, they find the architecture for dogs, built by some of the recognized architects and designers such as Kengo Kuma, Konstantin Grcic, MAD’s Ma Yansong, MVRDV, Shigeru Ban, Sou Fujimoto, Piero Lissoni, Giulio Iacchetti, Toyo Ito, TORAFU Architects, Asif Khan, Kenya Hara, Kazuyo Sejima, Reiser + Umemoto, Atelier Bow-Wow, FGMF, and Hiroshi Naito. Photos and video insights accompany the exhibition, and all of them explore the relationship between architecture and the furry pets, and how the former can serve as a language shared by all living species.

Kengo Kuma | all images courtesy of ADI Design Museum

blueprints of the showcased doghouses can be downloaded

Visitors to the ADI Design Museum in Milan can be curious as to how the architecture of the doghouses is made, or if they can build one similar to what the architects and studios created. Luckily, their blueprints and instructions for the designs are free to download online, and if they feel like doing the work, they can tweak the style to suit their dog’s needs. Many, if not all, of the architectural works are playful and fitting for the vigorous energy of the dogs. Wood becomes a primary material for some of the architects, including Kengo Kuma’s dome-shaped tent with open lattices, Shigeru Ban’s maze-like bamboo tubes, and MVRDV’s see-saw, curved home. It’s the same material that Kenya Hara and Giulio Iacchetti work with. 

The former turns wood into a tunnel box with a staircase, while the latter rebuilds it as yurt-inspired architecture for dogs. Hiroshi Naito cuts up wood into slabs to place between his tubes, creating a seemingly treadmill structure, and Toyo Ito has a toddler’s stroller in mind when he weaves wood into a basket cart. In the exhibition, other domestic textiles and materials have been transformed into structures for dogs. A furry bean bag makes up Kazuyo Sejima’s design so the dogs can cozily take their naps, and TORAFU Architects invokes a summery vibe when they hang the stretchy stripe fabric over a wooden chair frame. The exhibition is backed and supported by Imprint Culture Lab, Riva 1920, and Giorgio Armani, who created a dog-focused capsule collection in collaboration with Poldo Dog Couture.

Shigeru Ban makes maze-like path with bamboo tubes

Sou Fujimoto constructs ‘open’ house that doubles as a shelf

MVRDV elongates their curved doghouse

Konstantin Grcic reimagines a vanity mirror with lights for Architecture for Dogs at ADI Design Museum

curator Kenya Hara creates a wooden tunnel box

Hiroshi Naito puts slabs of wood between metal-like tubes

Toyo Ito conceives a stroller-like piece for Architecture for Dogs at ADI Design Museum

Kazuyo Sejima comes up with a furry bean bag

TORAFU Architects design a chair with a flexible fabric

Piero Lissoni’s Hangar has a wooden base

yurt-inspired doghouse by Giulio Iacchetti

project info:

name: Architecture for Dogs

museum: ADI Design Museum | @adidesignmuseum

location: P.za Compasso d’Oro, 1, 20154 Milano MI

dates: December 3rd, 2024 to February 16th, 2025

co-founded by: Imprint Lab / Intertrend

created by: Hara Design Institute, Nippon Design Center, Inc.

director and curator: Kenya Hara

motion graphics: Kenichi Hashimoto

music by: Suguru Yamaguchi

blueprints by: Hara Design Institute, Nippon Design Center, Inc.

exhibition supported by: Imprint Culture Lab

exhibition partner and supporter: Giorgio Armani, Poldo Dog Couture, Riva 1920

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Liverpool’s Canning Dock, a historic landmark dating back to 1765, is on the cusp of a significant transformation. Plans by Asif Khan Studio and artist Theaster Gates were recently given the green light, paving the way for a £15 million project that will revitalize the area. The project prioritizes public access and aims to create a space for ‘education, contemplation, and recreation.’ A key feature will be the South Dry Dock, constructed over 250 years ago, which will be accessible to the public for the very first time. This restoration will allow visitors to experience Liverpool‘s maritime history through a contemporary lens. The winning competition entry was first unveiled in 2021 (read designboom’s previous coverage here), at which time the team also included David Adjaye and Mariam Kamara.

visualizations © Asif Kaan/Theaster Gates

khan + gates to expand public access with contemporary design

The focus on public space by Asif Khan and Theaster Gates will be further enhanced by the construction of an ‘experimental pavilion’ within the dock, along with a new footbridge planned to connect the Canning Dock with the Royal Albert Dock and create a more accessible waterfront experience in Liverpool. The wider public realm will also see improvements, with plans for level pathways, an open-air events space, and better interpretation of the surrounding historical elements. The overall design aims to create a multi-use destination that celebrates the area’s rich history and offer a vibrant space for the Liverpool community.

Liverpool’s Canning Dock to get £15 million makeover

a catalyst for renewal

Theaster Gates’ involvement in the project is particularly noteworthy. The internationally renowned artist is known for his work that explores themes of race and history. His contributions are expected to be integrated into the public realm elements, adding an artistic layer to the regeneration and ensuring the project reflects on the complexities of Liverpool’s past. The Canning Dock transformation project has the potential to be a significant catalyst for the city. The £15 million investment, partially funded by the government’s Levelling Up fund, is anticipated to create jobs, attract new residents and businesses, and further solidify Liverpool’s reputation as a major tourist destination.

Theaster Gates’ artistic touch will reflect on Liverpool’s complex history
the historic South Dry Dock to be opened to the public for the first time a new footbridge will connect the Canning Dock to the popular Royal Albert Dock

project info:

project title: Waterfront Transformation: Canning Dock

architecture: Asif Khan, Theaster Gates

competition host: National Museums Liverpool (NML)

location: Liverpool, UK

status: competition winner

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The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announces Lina Ghotmeh and Asif Khan as architects for two upcoming museums in its constellation of cultural assets. Ghotmeh will lead the design for the contemporary art museum, and Khan will cover the museum of the Incense Road. Both projects are situated in AlUla, a destination in northwest Saudi Arabia with 7,000 years of continuous human history. The news was spotlighted during the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale at the Metropole Hotel, where Ghotmeh and Khan participated in a discussion alongside British art critic Iwona Blazwick.

Awarded an MBE for his services to architecture and currently working on the renewal of the Barbican Centre and the new London Museum, Asif Khan is known for his radical approach to architecture, which merges history with the future, grounding projects in material experimentation and social context.­ Award-winning Lina Ghotmeh, designing the 2023 Serpentine Pavilion, creates work at the intersection of art, architecture, and design. Her practice is developed through thorough historical research, emerging in complete symbiosis with nature as exquisite interventions that enliven memories and the senses.

Lina Ghotmeh and Asif Khan | image © Luke Walker, courtesy Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)

two major PROJECTS IN ALULA celebrating regional culture

Set under the leadership of RCU’s Nora Albadal and Iwona Blazwick, the Contemporary Art Museum in AlUla is a museum of regional and global contemporary art with Arabia at its heart. Offering a core collection of works by artists from regions adjoining the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean in dialogue with their contemporaries worldwide, it aims to evolve in partnership with these artists, including a robust program of commissioned works. As the primary art museum in AlUla, it contributes to the region’s legacy as a cultural beacon, generating opportunities for artists, designers, creatives, and curators.

An adjoining series of artist-designed gardens will ensure the experience is connected to the landscape in which it sits. Integrated into the distinctive AlUla oasis, set amongst vegetable gardens, palm groves, mountain ranges, and an ancient settlement, the museum will explore sensitive environmental design and function as a catalyst for ecological renewal and regeneration of the oasis. It will be structured as an archipelago of pavilion galleries interspersed with a mosaic of artist gardens. Its balance of interior and exterior galleries and gardens will allow visitors to define their encounters with art and the natural landscape.

video © designboom 

‘The architecture of the contemporary art museum in AlUla immerses visitors in a creative journey from the desert expanse to the lush cultural oasis of AlUla, interweaving the natural environment, agriculture and art to reveal the heart of contemporary culture. Through a series of garden pavilions, the museum presents a constant interplay between art and nature, capturing the essence of this unique place. The galleries offer surprising and anchored perspectives on the many facets of AlUla, from the microclimates of the oasis to the expanse of the desert, evoking a deep sense of attachment to the land and its heritage,’ writes Lina Ghomeh (see more here).

The Museum of the Incense Road — under Eman Alankari and Dr. Helen McGauran — will be the world’s first museum dedicated to this epic and millennia-old network of major land and sea trading routes, celebrating AlUla’s cultural legacy as a place of exchange at the confluence of civilizations. Bringing to life global histories through which ideas, goods, and culture were exchanged, it shines a light on north-west Arabia as a cultural epicenter. Living and dynamic narratives will include: spotlighting the discoveries of ongoing excavations, highlighting the active nature of AlUla’s archaeological sites, and the cultural importance of the Incense Road. At the forefront of innovative museum practice, it will enable visitors to engage through layered, multidisciplinary interpretation anchored by carefully curated collections.

installations at AlUla arts valley | visualization by Atelier Monolit. © ATHR Gallery

The museum is being developed in dialogue with AlUla’s ancient heritage – including Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site – and its host village, AlJadidah. It will be an extension of the urban fabric that sits towards the oasis edge, looking out on a vista where Dadan and Hegra – once vibrant cities that thrived as a result of the Incense Road – are located. Guided by subject experts and the local community, the new complex will continue to be developed through extensive local and international collaboration with specialists across fields, including academia and museology.

Architect Asif Khan shares his reflections on the project: ‘AlUla resonated with me deeply, as did the local community members I met. The design takes the form of a public space, not a museum within walls, situated in AlJadidah village with galleries and spaces for sensory experiences and learning. The mountains are a constant background, whose sand dunes reach down to greet the edges of the museum, while stepped terraces of gardens act as a new interface between the village and the oasis. I am excited about how the museum of the Incense Road can be brought into the collective memory of the world and become a transformative asset for the local community.’

desert X AlUla 2022: ‘Where the dwellers lay’ by Dana Awartani | image © Roberto Conte

Both museums offer a unique entry point into AlUla’s rich and extensive cultural offering and will be developed with a socially responsible approach to the preservation, interpretation, meaningful community engagement, and presentation of AlUla’s cultural inheritance. In addition, they will consider reducing environmental impact while building significant spaces, particularly regarding conservation, controlled temperature, humidity, and lighting, and will work with a network of cultural leaders at an institutional, thematic, and discipline level in the spirit of reciprocal exchange.

Lina Ghotmeh and Asif Khan were chosen through an international competition with a jury comprising key stakeholders and specialists in architecture, landscape, and museology, supported by a technical panel, and was chaired by Dr. Khaled Azzam, the architect of AlUla’s Journey Through Time Masterplan.

in conversation with Iwona Blazwick at the Metropole Hotel Venice | image © designboom

project info:

museums location: AlUla, Saudi Arabia

commissioned by: Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)

— Contemporary Art Museum — 
architect: Lina Gotmeh | @linaghotmeh

lead curators: Nora Albadal and Iwona Blazwick

— Museum of the Incense Road — 

architect: Asif Khan | @asifkhan.now

lead curators: Eman Alankari and Dr. Helen McGauran

The post lina ghotmeh and asif khan appointed as lead architects for two major museums in AlUla appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

a star-studded team made up of david adjaye, mariam kamara, asif khan, and theaster gates wins the competition for a ‘transformational’ redesign of liverpool’s waterfront canning dock. the winning entry will bring forward the story of the transatlantic slave trade, in which the english port had a major involvement. beginning in the 18th century, the complex site was used to repair and service ships including those reserved for the slave trade — central to the city’s economy at the time.

the competition was hosted by national museums liverpool (NML) and the design concept was the unanimous choice for the jury of local representatives and industry experts.

images courtesy of national museums liverpool (NML)

a future plan for the canning dock 

national museums liverpool hosted the competition to transform the city’s waterfront canning dock, as part of a larger 10-year plan. the project by david adjaye, mariam kamara, asif khan, and theaster gates, will redevelop the area between the royal albert dock and mann island along with all the waterfront facilities. 

the team focuses on the public realm, including a public art strategy. new bridges will span from the pump house to mann island, while two dry docks will become an educational and cultural experience. meanwhile, the historic martin luther king jr. building will receive a dramatic new entrance. reconnection and accessible recreational routes will play a critical part in the development. maintaining a sensitive approach, the proposal links the past with the present — building upon the significance of the area through a thoughtful response to both the history of the site and its future potential.

the historic martin luther king jr. building will receive a dramatic new entrance

architecture as ‘a storytelling tool’

elevating the stained legacy of the place, the spirit of the competition called entrants to take a ‘joyous and inclusive approach to place-making’ and create a concept that responds to the ‘transatlantic history of the site and ensure black communities are engaged and represented.’

as team member mariam kamara notes, the liverpool waterfront redevelopment is a chance to ‘explore the power of architecture as a storytelling tool’ and that the scheme is ‘an opportunity to pull on the threads that make up the history of the transatlantic slave trade — from africa, across the atlantic to the usa and back to liverpool — to bridge gaps, to exhume memories and ultimately bring to the fore an exciting space for the public to explore and engage with the history of liverpool while firmly facing towards the future.’

the comission includes creating public realm and a public art strategy

asif khan elaborates: ‘history is like the ocean, with all its depths and treachery. looking out from the shore, those waters feel like they belong to us, and yet the sea looks so different from where you stand in the world. history can wash things away one day and brings them back like ghost ships the next. reconciling with history is how we grow as individuals, as communities, and — we believe — is what makes life and cities beautiful.

‘for national museums liverpool we have formed a different kind of design team — not simply to deliver a project, but to steward a significantly meaningful one into being. this new piece of history will welcome voices from across liverpool and globally from the places and people connected with canning dock.’

the site spans the area between the royal albert dock and mann island

project info:

project title: waterfront transformation: canning dock

architecture: mariam kamara, david adjaye, asif khan, theaster gates

competition host: national museums liverpool (NML)

location: liverpool, UK

status: competition winner

The post mariam kamara, david adjaye, asif khan, theaster gates to redesign liverpool waterfront appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

image by secchi smith

‘this is a pivotal milestone not just for an ambitious architectural scheme for london, but also a testament to the vital importance that culture and education play for the evolution and resilience of our global city,’ says paul williams, principal director at stanton williams. ‘because london’s story is a story of renewal, reinvention and cultural diversity — a story that will be actively told by the museum of london from its new home at west smithfield for generations to come.’

image by secchi smith

‘in front of the museum of london docklands stood a statue of slaver robert milligan,’ continues asif khan. ‘just over a week ago it was removed. the recent protests across the globe for equality and respect of black lives, have called into question how we are taught our history and how then we understand our present. it feels we are finally at a turning point, and to design a new museum at this moment, particularly one inside a victorian market hall, is a great responsibility. it demands from us a vision of how we should shape our future city and citizenry.’

image by secchi smith

the news coincides with the reveal of new images illustrating the future appearance of the site. through its collection of seven million objects and vibrant programming, the museum of london seeks to tell the story of london and londoners in new ways. ‘from a world-class learning offer that will engage every london school child to having 24-hour access, the museum will at once be both a place to reflect and learn as well as a shared space for enjoyment and contemporary discussion,’ says the institution.

image by MIR

the approved plans mean a secure, sustainable future for the historic market buildings that make up the site, most of which date back to the victorian era and have fallen into significant disrepair. much of the historic fabric of the buildings will be preserved to create cavernous and atmospheric spaces both above and below ground, capable of hosting a broader range of displays, exhibitions, learning activity, and events.

image by MIR

the concept for the museum includes a new lifted landmark dome which would create a light-filled entrance, while escalators transport visitors down to the exhibition galleries in a vast excavated underground chamber. meanwhile, quiet spaces provide pockets of tranquillity. read more about the vision on the museum’s website here.

image by secchi smith

image by atelier78

image by secchi smith

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Asif Khan (@asifkhan.now) on Jun 26, 2020 at 12:07pm PDT

image by stale eriksen

project info:

name: museum of london west smithfield
location: london, UK
client: museum of london
value: confidential
architect: stanton williams and asif khan
conservation architect: julian harrap architects
landscape architect: J&L gibbons
design manager: plan A
structural engineer: AKT II
MEP engineer: arup
quantity surveyors: gardiner & theobald
project manager: buro four
principal designer: bureau veritas london
planning consultant: gerald eve
transport and logistics engineers: momentum
images: secchi smith, MIR, atelier78
model photograph: stale eriksen

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all images by hélène binet

‘the portals are the first thing you see as you approach the site, so they are a landmark at the beginning and end of your journey at expo 2020‘, explains asif khan. ‘I would like visitors to expo, especially children, to be inspired by architecture they have never seen before, and to be excited that it is part of the heritage of the region. passing through the doors represents a physical and symbolic act of moving from the past into the future.‘

in its first images, asif khan presents a futuristic adaption of the traditional mashrabiya – an intricate design used across the region to regulate light and airflow – for expo 2020 dubai’s entry portals. laced in black, the cubes simultaneously create mysterious dark voids that reveal more and more light at closer glance. the weave paints a highly patterned mural upon the blue sky whilst also casting the mirrored shadow upon the fairground, symbolizing an artful, architectural and locally inspired welcome to guests.

the three portals are woven entirely from strands of ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber composite that offers high structural strength. in fact, this enables each gate to stand at 21m high and 30m long without any additional support. each one then features two vast doors – 21m high and 10.5m wide – that will open up and welcome the world in every morning for expo 2020. these are each placed in one of the fair’s three districts – opportunity, mobility and sustainability – and, once through, will lead to tree-filled arrival courtyards also designed in collaboration with asif khan.

project info:

project name: entry portals

event: expo 2020 dubai

opening date: october 20, 2020

architect: asif khan

The post expo 2020 dubai opens huge, intricately woven entry portals by asif khan appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

all images © luke hayes

the exterior appears flat, but it isn’t. it’s quite curved. rods of different lengths — holding small lights — jut out of the parabolic pavilion, toward the viewer, like distant stars. at this scale, each inch could represent a lightyear. the vantablack pigment. asif khan’s execution. together, they’ve made a simple, near-perfect ethereum of stars for olympic attendees to wonder at, in south korea. it may be the closest thing to space we have to visually experience on earth.

and when it opens — february 9 — viewers will experience a full spectrum of light and dark. after entering a dark portal, viewers will find themselves blinded by a bright space. eyes adjusting, viewers inside a juxtaposingly white room will watch and softly listen to a hydrophobic installation, also designed by khan, using water and corian. widening viewers’ awareness to the spectrum of light may have been khan’s intention. it is a pleasant side effect nonetheless.

visitors will trigger sensors and sensors will trigger water droplets — 25,000 per minute — to fly and meander along tiny, satisfyingly-minimal aqueducts. the drops will entangle with one another, split apart, and continue on their paths into a larger body of collective water: thus becoming a white, quantum-scale-version of the building’s dark, celestial exterior. once the eyes are fully adjusted to the white room, once you’ve felt the grand hugeness of the universe, the illusive darkness, the smallness and the lightness of everything, you can walk back outside and stare once more at the darkest building on earth.

project info:

name: hyundai pavilion
client: hyundai motor company
design: asif khan
main contractor: hyundai engineering
interactive engineer: iart
facade coating: surrey nanoSystems
corian fabrication: cutting edge
structural engineer: AKTII
environmental engineer: atelier ten
environmental sound: why do birds?
interior contractor: GL
local architect: USD
agency: innocean worldwide

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