Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Architects from Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have been appointed to design the Alisher Navoi International Research Center in Tashkent.

This center will encompass the State Museum of Literature named after Navoi, an auditorium, an international research center, and a school. The arched facades and interiors will be constructed using bricks produced in local kilns in Tashkent, reflecting the rich geometric forms of traditional Uzbek architecture and highlighting the complexity of Uzbek literature and music.

The architecture of the center is based on passive design principles, ensuring optimal conditions for visitors, staff, and students while minimizing energy consumption.

Located in New Tashkent, the Alisher Navoi International Research Center will combine the State Museum of Literature named after Navoi with a 400-seat auditorium designed for performances, events, and conferences. The project also includes an international research center and a boarding school for 200 students specializing in the Uzbek language, literature, and music.

The center will serve as the foundation for a new cultural quarter in New Tashkent (covering 25,000 hectares, designed by Cross Works), catering to the needs of the city’s growing population and celebrating the traditions of Uzbek literature and music, particularly the Shashmakom tradition. This classical music form, a blend of vocal and instrumental music, melodic and rhythmic ideas, and poetry, is an integral part of Uzbek culture, with Tashkent recognized as a center of musical art.

Named after Alisher Navoi, a prominent 15th-century poet and statesman whose works have profoundly influenced Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage, the International Research Center will cover an area of 23,000 square meters. It will be designed with interconnected spaces to foster dialogue between literary education, research, and performing arts.

The arched facades and interiors will be made from locally produced bricks, reflecting the curvilinear geometric forms of traditional Uzbek architecture. The center will feature internal courtyards, a characteristic of regional architecture that provides natural light and ventilation while creating open spaces for gathering and solitude.

The center will be located in Tashkent, where a Mediterranean climate mixes with the continental climate of Central Asia. The building’s design is based on passive architectural principles, creating optimal conditions for all users with minimal energy consumption.

The geometry and structure of the supporting arches of the center are inspired by wind towers, which help maintain lower indoor temperatures. These hollow structures will feature openings to capture wind and provide cooling ventilation. In the hottest months, a fan and misting system will be utilized to improve air circulation within the building.

In the absence of wind, these hollow arched structures will create a pressure gradient that allows hot air to rise and escape through openings at the top of each arch, forming a thermal chimney. This will facilitate efficient cooling of the interiors, allowing warm air to be expelled while cooler air remains below.

These cooling principles will be enhanced throughout the day and night, aiding in the extraction of warm air and retention of cooler air. Coupled with the high thermal mass of the center’s construction, this will maintain optimal comfort conditions while minimizing energy consumption. The internal courtyards and skylights will fill the center with natural light, while deep roof overhangs will provide effective protection from sunlight in summer and allow winter sunlight to warm the interiors.

The State Museum of Literature named after Navoi will offer extensive programs for research, archiving, and exhibitions, including a restoration workshop and a storage area housing a collection of 3,500 historical books and manuscripts. The museum, consisting of 13 permanent exhibition halls, will be dedicated to centuries of Uzbek literary history and contemporary works by renowned authors from the country.

Inspired by the dynamic performances of Shashmakom music, the center will create a space where artists from the city and the wider community can gather. Its open spaces will feature a sequence of landscaped terraces with open amphitheaters and gardens, offering shaded pavilions for spontaneous performances.

By celebrating Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage and showcasing its diversity and depth, the Alisher Navoi International Research Center aims to become a hub of creativity, offering a blend of traditional and contemporary arts venues, as well as educational and research programs.