The opportunity

Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, was forecast to significantly increase its population by 2050. Rapid growth, extreme climate, fragmented urban form and car-dominated development have challenged the city’s ability to create cohesive, people-friendly places. ​

Space Syntax was invited to take part in an international design competition to address these issues and produce an Urban Growth Plan for Astana.​​

We led a multi-disciplinary team including Expedition Engineering, Gustafson Porter + Bowman and Smart Growth Associates, to develop a proposal to accommodate this growth, address existing problems in the city and create a flexible plan that could be implemented over time to create a city that prioritises people.

Our contribution

After analysing the city, our approach was set out in three steps:​ ​

– first, to improve the city for the people already living there​

– second, to intensify it, using infill development to create the densities and diversities of land use required to create active, engaging cities​

– third, to grow the city to accommodate further population increase.​

We developed and applied generative algorithmic processes (AI) to create a plan that set in place the fewest number of most important urban systems – street centrelines, urban blocks, plots and plot allowances. This approach brings flexibility, in that development can speed up or slowdown in response to wider economic conditions. ​

To generate street centrelines, we applied multiple generative and analytic techniques, which included creating ‘desire lines’ across the site using agents, bundling desire lines together to create primary route centrelines, then developing a network of secondary centrelines, which created urban blocks of different sizes. These generative processes set in place the spatial conditions found in cities that have developed over many years and which are associated with more walkable and liveable places.

Analysis of the resulting street network allowed us to allocate land uses and densities to plots across the extension area. ​Within the existing city, smaller-scale urban block based studies identified how public realm improvements could be made, as well as illustrating how infill development could be applied to intensify the existing use of the city. The plan was phased over thirty years to show how the plan could be implemented.

The outcome

By upgrading, intensifying and extending in a phased and coordinated way, the Urban Growth Plan positions Astana to become a global benchmark for liveability, resilience and cultural vibrancy — celebrating its identity while preparing confidently for the challenges and opportunities of the future. Space Syntax’s submission won the international design competition and we were subsequently commissioned to produce the 2030 Astana Masterplan.

Further information

Space Syntax Studio page
Details of our work leading the planning and design of buildings and urban areas.