Archinect
Dowen Farmer Architects

Dowen Farmer Architects

London, GB

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The Plaza

The original brief was to enclose the external plaza of the existing shopping centre due to the climatic conditions. The plaza space spans 80m x 40m and the vision was for the roofscape to be an exciting design feature from an architectural, structural and environmental perspective.  

In addition to the climatic conditions, the existing connection from the shopping centre to the plaza is hard to navigate and results in reduced footfall to the plaza space itself. 

There was a clear requirement to provide a more contemporary arrival sequence to the plaza space as well as utilising a minimal palette to sit sensitively within a building that currently contains a wide variety of design styles and materiality. 
The plaza has been remodelled to provide a more effective link back to the existing retail loop within the main shopping mall.  What was previously seen as a dead end to the shopping centre now operates as the heartbeat of the development and acts as a destination within the city of Almaty itself. 

The curved facade is an anodized bronze aluminium panel with a high polished finish to allow for the reflection of light drawing one's eye towards the human scale arrival point of the building. Once within the plaza itself, this bronze finish continues in a sculptural ribbon format throughout the space at high level blurring the internal/external boundary, whilst operating as a functional mechanical service zone. 

The parametric roof has been designed to be made of standardised panels allowing construction to be as economical as possible, whilst offering a fluid and exciting form.

 
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Status: Unbuilt
Location: Almaty, KZ
Firm Role: Architect
Additional Credits: Buro Happold
London Structures Lab