Nurlan, you come from a family of architects. How did your family influence your career choice?
The choice was probably predetermined, because from a young age my mother took me with her to work at what was then the Almaty Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering (now KazGASU), where she taught in the architecture department. So, almost from birth, I knew about the existence of this profession and everything connected with it. It all happened very smoothly. But I made the decision to become an architect myself. In this profession, the transmission of generations is important.
You founded INK Architects, known for its interesting projects in Almaty and Nur-Sultan. How does one become a successful architectural firm?
Nothing is impossible; any architectural thought or idea can be realized—that's our main principle. The second principle: every line, every drawn geometric object must be rational and purposeful. That is, everything must be deliberate. Third, the author must be passionate about the project; they must live and breathe it. Involvement in the project requires attention to every detail—there are no trivialities in architecture. And you must always be innovative, modern, have fresh ideas, and live outside the box.
You have a creative team. Is it difficult to manage it?
It is. We have 100 people, 60 of whom are architectural and 40 are engineering. I believe that creative teams are the most difficult to manage because everyone has their own ideas, their own vision, and not only of the project, but also, for example, of labor and tax laws. These are creative people, and it's difficult to keep them on a strict work schedule, with their own hours and strict project schedules. But we manage.
Are you satisfied with the younger generation of architects?
Unfortunately, no. An architect is a very complex profession, requiring not just some experience but also hundreds of hours of practice. In Kazakhstan, university curricula are cutting back on basic subjects. For example, drawing used to be taught for four years; now it's only two semesters. What's there to talk about? An architectural idea is first developed with a pencil and pen, not a mouse. If someone can't draw and convey their thoughts and sketches with their own hand, then, unfortunately, their professional skills are limited. Graduates from Western universities who come to work here are completely different architects. They have a wealth of positive experience, an open mind, a different perspective, and a different understanding of the context. But I feel sorry for them: when they enter our reality, our regulatory framework, they have to "learn" all over again. In short, our students, unfortunately, receive an inadequate education and are forced to self-study while simultaneously working for architectural firms. They have to study and work day and night.
One of your projects is the Hilton Hotel in Nur-Sultan. Tell us what it's like working with such a huge multinational company?
It was a challenging project for us. On the one hand, we were working with Hilton, and on the other, with the mega-developer BI Group, each with their own pace and deadlines. So, we had to work with two giants at once, trying to organize a coordinated effort to develop a hotel project of international standing. I think the result was amazing! One of the key achievements was that BI Group built the hotel in the shortest possible timeframe, just nine months. I don't think anything like this has ever happened in our history. Speaking of us, we were among the first in the world to incorporate a national flavor into the hotel design identity; until now, this hadn't been part of Hilton's operating principles. Now they've begun to incorporate local national motifs into their standards when constructing projects in the regions.
You work a lot with Kazakhstani developers. What's their general attitude toward innovation and revolutionary approaches in architecture?
"There are very few companies in Kazakhstan that strive for innovation. We are fortunate to work with Aidyn Zhumadilovich and BI Group. This is an innovative, revolutionary company whose specialists are well-versed in market trends, conduct research into client needs, take into account past cases, and successfully implement progressive construction methods. We are happy to learn from them and, in turn, strive to offer unconventional architecture, interesting solutions, and comfortable spaces. BI Group innovates across all construction and design processes and sets new quality standards. I would like to see our state building codes evolve and modernize alongside business to meet today's realities." "They say artificial intelligence will soon replace many people. What about your profession?" "If artificial intelligence could replace our brains, I would gladly replace 100 people with 100 robots—they can work 24 hours a day. But a person can come up with an extraordinary idea, a robot cannot." Therefore, we have to choose: either create something faceless according to standards, or something original, which is not yet possible
