The site is located along the Salar canal. It is a water artery that indicates the boundary of the new city of Tashkent. From the medieval ages, Salar was used for watering fields. Later, after a railroad was created, it was repurposed to serve industrial zones.
The existing neighborhood has a mixture of educational, industrial, governmental, and military land uses. Moreover, the site is well-connected all-around: in the south is the main highway and in the north is a major street with commerce.
Creating a compact and dense neighborhood with functional richness and opening the river to the public was the key driver of the project. The 60-ha masterplan provides a home for 13000 residents and 4000 workplaces, incorporates public schools and kindergartens, 1.5 km of landscaped water canal promenade, and a network of 6.5 bicycle and running lanes.
INK Architects' urban planners carefully analyzed the context and kept valuable assets, such as existing schools. In addition, special care was given to connecting the scheme to the surroundings at all levels, green networks, street hierarchies, pedestrian routes, and micro-mobility.
Most building blocks have access to the green line within 3 minutes of walking. Buildings at the edge of the development, closer to the speed highway, have bigger massing and contain commercial spaces and businesses.
Urban blocks
The grid is 97 to 97 meters, which is a comfortable size for pedestrians and creates a lively city. There are streets sized from 20m to 30m to integrate as much greenery and cycle lanes as possible. Urban blocks closer to the southern highway are larger, shielding the neighborhood from the traffic.
Green connections
Tashkent is continuing to develop its network of green zones. The new development will add another chain to this link, providing a landscaped public river promenade. As a result, the river opens up to the city again. Restaurants, playgrounds, and sports zones are located around it, allowing people to access the water. In addition, the whole river bank will be public. It is full of greenery that helps to keep the biodiversity and raise the value of the area. It dresses the urban heat island effect as well. Living at a riverside allows enjoying the natural landscape and modern convenience. Water is populated by plants that help to purify. They remove excess nutrients from the water as well as oil and bacteria.
