The international ARCHICA 2026 congress, which concluded in Astana on October 6, became an important meeting point for leading architects, urbanists, designers and business representatives, according to NUR.KZ.
Photo: NUR.KZ / Soltan Zheksenbekov
The forum was held under the theme “Creating Identity: Architecture, Art and the Emotional Experience of the Urban Environment.” It brought together members of the international professional community from Kazakhstan, Spain, the UAE, Russia, the Netherlands, Uzbekistan and other countries.
Over the course of two days, ARCHICA 2026 participants discussed key architectural trends, innovative urban solutions, advanced engineering and technology projects, as well as emerging design initiatives. The programme also featured presentations by experts working on practical and comfortable urban environments, alongside a series of educational workshops.
The first day of the forum focused on broader issues shaping the urban environment, while the second day centred on human comfort and the experience of public space.
During a panel discussion dedicated to the workplaces of the future, Yertai Salimov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Halyk Bank, spoke about the bank’s contribution to the development of the urban environment and the continuous improvement of its workplaces.
Yertai Salimov. Photo: NUR.KZ / Soltan Zheksenbekov
“For Halyk Bank, the idea of the office of the future has always been extremely important. When designing and developing our buildings, we focus first and foremost on the comfort of our employees. The office is where promising ideas emerge, where people discuss new projects and collaborate. At the same time, we want our architecture to integrate seamlessly into the urban landscape and become genuine city landmarks,” Yertai Salimov said.
As examples, Salimov highlighted several projects successfully completed in different cities. One of Halyk Bank’s newest architectural landmarks is its head office in Astana, which opened at the end of last year.
Photo: NUR.KZ / Soltan Zheksenbekov
“This is not simply a beautiful and large-scale building. It incorporates a number of distinctive architectural and engineering solutions. The main lobby is a 12-metre-high space measuring 30 by 30 metres, without a single supporting column. During the design process, we applied a post-tensioned structural system, which remains relatively rare in large office developments in Kazakhstan. When you enter the space, it feels completely open, yet there are another five floors above where our employees work. We also moved away from the conventional vertical office tower and adopted a horizontal configuration instead. This allows us to transform the spaces to suit the changing needs of our teams,” Salimov explained.
Yertai Salimov. Photo: NUR.KZ / Soltan Zheksenbekov
The new office has a total area of more than 60,000 square metres and includes a 700-square-metre coworking space.
Its façade combines a sense of restrained monumentality with contemporary architectural expression. One of the complex’s most distinctive features is a floating glazed bridge extending for more than 30 metres across the third to fifth floors.
Among the bank’s other notable projects, Salimov highlighted the new regional branch building in Atyrau.
The project, distinctive within the city’s architectural landscape, draws inspiration from the movement of water and a sense of continuous flow. Visually, the building appears almost weightless, while its internal planning incorporates contemporary environmental design principles.
Yertai Salimov. Photo: NUR.KZ / Soltan Zheksenbekov
“We have no intention of creating standardized buildings. On the contrary, we want to explore a diverse range of architectural solutions. At the same time, it is important for us to respond to the urban, cultural and even climatic characteristics of every city where our offices are built. It is particularly rewarding to see Halyk Bank buildings becoming genuinely recognizable. Our new Atyrau branch, for example, is considered by many to be one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. It is gratifying to see it featured on postcards and to see people taking photographs in front of our office,” Yertai Salimov said.
Photo: Halyk Bank
Halyk Bank’s international portfolio also includes the headquarters of its subsidiary Tenge Bank in Tashkent.
Located in one of the Uzbek capital’s most prestigious districts, the office occupies a dedicated building block and was developed in accordance with high international standards.
By integrating architectural, engineering and digital innovation, Halyk Bank continues to raise the standard of customer service, expand its range of services and consistently improve the quality of workplaces across its offices and branches.
Source: Nur.kz
