Niemeyer’s project is back on the agenda. The cultural center designed for Astana by the renowned Brazilian architect in 2008 may be revived nearly two decades later, DKNews.kz reports.
The issue was discussed during a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Brazil, Bolat Nussupov, and José Fernando Aparecido de Oliveira, President of the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation.
Niemeyer designed the Astana project back in 2008
The most striking detail of the talks was an architectural project that had largely faded from public attention. According to the foundation’s president, Oscar Niemeyer designed a Cultural Center building for Astana during his lifetime.
The architect also mentioned the Kazakhstan project in his memoirs. During the meeting, the head of the foundation quoted Niemeyer’s words:
“The impressive scale of the cultural complex in Kazakhstan and the aspiration to fill it with an atmosphere of hope, grandeur and social justice prevailing in this country.”
The Brazilian side expressed its readiness to revisit Niemeyer’s ambitious plans and explore the possibility of bringing them to life.
For Astana, this is an unusual architectural story. It is not a newly commissioned project designed for the capital’s current urban landscape, but a concept created almost two decades ago by one of the most celebrated architects of the 20th century.
Oscar Niemeyer Foundation to renew ties with Kazakhstan
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to resume dialogue between the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation and potential Kazakh partners.
The discussions went beyond the cultural center. The sides also addressed cooperation in urban planning, contemporary architecture and design, as well as professional training for architectural and civil engineers and other specialists in these fields.
For now, the focus is on restoring professional contacts and identifying projects of mutual interest. The statement does not specify a construction timeline, budget, site or sources of financing for the cultural center.
Astana’s architecture became part of the talks with Brazil
Bolat Nussupov briefed his counterpart on the current architectural development of Kazakhstan’s capital.
The discussion also covered political changes in the country, including the entry into force of the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the upcoming elections to the unicameral Kurultai and the establishment of the “Қазақстан Халық Кеңесі” — Kazakhstan People’s Council.
That political context accompanied a much more practical question: whether the project preserved as part of Niemeyer’s legacy can move beyond archival materials and become the subject of concrete negotiations with Kazakhstan.
The foundation has preserved Niemeyer’s legacy since 1988
The Oscar Niemeyer Foundation was established in 1988 as a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the architectural and cultural legacy of the famous Brazilian architect.
The foundation manages copyright issues and organizes exhibitions, lectures and educational programs focused on contemporary architecture and urban planning. Its headquarters and cultural complex are located in Niterói, in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.
Kazakhstan is now once again among the possible areas of cooperation. The key question, however, remains open: whether Niemeyer’s project will receive a practical continuation and in what form it could be implemented in modern Astana.
Earlier, we wrote about what Kazakhstan will be voting for on August 23 and how the new Kurultai will operate.
