The Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture has officially opened its doors in Almaty, Kazakhstan, marking a significant milestone in the city's cultural landscape. London-based architect Asif Khan has successfully transformed the historic Tselinny cinema into a modern cultural institution that spans nearly 6,000 square meters of renovated interior space and an equally sized landscaped site. This ambitious project represents a new era for the region's artistic community, featuring an undulating facade that seamlessly blends contemporary cultural programming with the building's Soviet-era heritage.
The original cinema building, constructed in 1964, holds deep historical significance as it was built to commemorate the Soviet Virgin Lands campaign, a politically charged initiative that fundamentally reshaped the region's relationship with its vast steppe landscape. Over the decades, however, the modernist structure fell into serious disrepair, with its monumental auditorium subdivided into smaller spaces and its historic sgraffito artwork - intricate scratched or carved decorative elements - partially lost to time and neglect.
Beginning in 2017, the Tselinny Center development team launched a meticulous reconstruction effort. Khan collaborated closely with local architect Zaure Aitayeva to stabilize the deteriorating structure, strengthen it against seismic activity common to the region, and restore its original spatial clarity. The team successfully rediscovered and carefully restored the sgraffito artwork created by Soviet artist Evgeny Sidorkin, using a restrained color palette that allows the historic work to harmoniously coexist with contemporary art installations.
The comprehensive renovation involved removing intrusive additions that had accumulated over the years while revealing the auditorium's impressive 18-meter (59-foot) ceiling height. Khan incorporated advanced acoustic treatments and integrated technical systems to support a diverse range of exhibitions and performances. A continuous ribbon of stainless steel and glass now wraps around the ground floor, flooding the interior with natural daylight and creating visual connections between the interior spaces and the surrounding landscape.
One of the most striking features of the renovation is a new cloudscape of embossed symbols that spans the north and south facades. These abstract patterns draw inspiration from traditional Kazakh ornamental designs and ancient petroglyphs found throughout the region. This symbolic language extends throughout the building, appearing in windows, lighting fixtures, and staircases, subtly embedding cultural memory and local identity into the contemporary architecture.
Khan made the deliberate choice to retain the building's exposed concrete structure, complementing it with geological finishes that connect the project to Kazakhstan's rich natural history. The reception desk features fossil-rich limestone sourced from the Mangystau region, while earth-toned concrete floors and decorative river stones collected from Almaty's local terrain strengthen the connection between interior and landscape. At the main entrance, a softly curving, cloud-like threshold creates a sense of openness and movement that counterbalances the building's monumental Soviet-era frame.
The interior design prioritizes accessibility and flow, with a lowered ground plane that eliminates level changes and creates a seamless public space extending outward to adjacent squares and parkland. The reconfigured interior now accommodates a series of flexible galleries and gathering areas, including the vast Orta 3 auditorium, the white-box Capsule gallery, and a rooftop terrace offering panoramic views of the dramatic Ile-Alatau mountains. Additional amenities include a new café, learning atelier, and quiet rooms that enhance the center's role as a true community hub.
The design emphasizes adaptable, multi-format spaces that allow the Tselinny Center to host performances, exhibitions, and interdisciplinary events without fixed orientation or rigid programming constraints. This flexibility ensures the venue can respond to the diverse needs of artists, performers, and cultural organizations. The center's inaugural program, titled BARSAKELMES, perfectly demonstrates this versatility with a live performance staged in the round, drawing inspiration from ancient Kazakh traditions while embracing contemporary artistic expression.
With its innovative approach that balances structural renewal with meaningful symbolic gestures, the Tselinny Center creates a cultural destination that thoughtfully responds to Almaty's layered historical past while warmly welcoming a diverse public. The project signals Kazakhstan's commitment to preserving its cultural heritage while fostering creative innovation and artistic exchange in Central Asia.
