On February 20, the UK Future Spaces international forum dedicated to the future of urban spaces was held.

The forum was attended by representatives of Kazakhstani business and investors.

The governor of Almaty region, Marat Sultangaziev, delivered a welcoming speech:
“Almaty region is famous for its rich cultural heritage and unique natural resources. Its geographical features and location along the Ancient Silk Road make the region attractive for investment and popular for tourism. 12 enterprises with British and joint capital operate in the region. The region's foreign trade turnover reached 3.6 billion US dollars, and exports increased by 12.1% to 819.4 million US dollars.

More than 114 investment projects worth 2.5 trillion tenge are being implemented in the Almaty region, including development projects, transport infrastructure, and sustainable construction. One special economic zone (SEZ) and eight industrial zones operate in the region. Opportunities offered to investors:
• tax incentives and special economic zones;
• public-private partnership (PPP) mechanisms;
• project support and financing programs.

Global trends require new approaches to construction. By 2050, more than 70% of the world's population will live in cities, which places great responsibility on architects, developers, and state planners. It is important to create "smart" cities, digitize infrastructure, automate processes, develop green architecture, reduce carbon footprint, and introduce renewable energy sources. These initiatives will be implemented in the new Alatau city.

The head of the region expressed confidence that the forum will be a platform for new ideas, successful projects and long-term partnerships.

As part of the forum, the akim held personal meetings with the British delegation led by British Ambassador Katie Leach, as well as business representatives. Among them were Stuart Senior, Co-Chairman of Infrastructure Exports: UK, Patrick Schumacher, Head of Zaha Hadid Architects, and Jim Diggle, Founder of Gillespies.

The British Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Katie Leach, noted that more than 25 well-known British architects are participating in the forum. Some of them are already working in Kazakhstan. British architects are showing great interest in implementing their projects in Kazakhstan, including in the Almaty region.

The head of the region noted the importance of the forum for specialists in the field of construction and architecture. The information presented at the forum will broaden the horizons of domestic specialists and contribute to the development and implementation of creative ideas. In addition, participating companies can not only offer projects, but also provide services for the delivery of materials and components, and even the complete implementation of facilities.

During the meetings, issues of building educational centers and a science town in Alatau, as well as tourism development, were discussed.

The next meeting was held with Stuart Senior, a British specialist with over 40 years of experience in the field of construction and infrastructure. He is an independent director of Gleeds and heads its strategic development and innovations. During the negotiations, issues of establishing a design office for the joint implementation of new projects and creative ideas with the participation of specialists from both countries were considered.

This was followed by a meeting with Patrick Schumacher, head of Zaha Hadid Architects. This architectural and design studio, where more than 500 professionals work, is known worldwide. Patrick Schumacher is recognized as one of the most prominent thinkers in the field of architecture, urbanism and design. During negotiations with the Almaty regional akimat, the possibility of implementing innovative projects by attracting private capital was considered, which will reduce the burden on the budget.

The final meeting within the framework of the forum was held with Jim Diggle, managing partner of Gillespies. He has over 30 years of experience and has participated in major international projects in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. During the negotiations, issues of horizontal landscaping and development of requirements for buildings during the design phase were discussed.

Also, the mayor of Alatau, Arken Utenov, held talks with Lorna Ball, Global Infrastructure Director of Arup, and Emre Simsek, Head of Arup Türkiye's Transport Business. They have experience in projects in the UK, Denmark, Spain, Lithuania, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.

During the meeting, issues of further development of cooperation and implementation of innovative architectural solutions in the region were considered.

It should be noted that the UK Future Spaces forum has become an important platform for discussing advanced urban and architectural solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of cities and attracting international investments to Kazakhstan.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almobl/press/news/details/943809