Hakan Ceyhan Agca, founder and managing director of the British architectural and technological bureau Cross Works, presented comprehensive insights into the master plan for the developing New Tashkent project during the Tashkent Design Week event. According to his statements, the new urban area is designed to function not merely as a collection of residential districts and administrative complexes, but as a fully-fledged, self-sustaining city. The speaker stressed that when undertaking such colossal initiatives, it is vital to remember that cities must be engineered for human beings rather than automated systems.

Agca explained that New Tashkent is intended to address the systematic expansion of the capital amid ongoing demographic growth, with projections indicating that the combined population of Tashkent and New Tashkent could reach five to six million people within the next century. He cautioned that failing to allocate land and draft rigorous construction strategies ahead of time risks generating chaotic settlements, comparing such potential outcomes to informal housing developments seen in various global megacities.

The proposed layout incorporates a sophisticated canal network that utilizes the natural water level difference between the Karasu and Chirchik rivers, potentially transforming the area into a regional counterpart to Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Furthermore, the project envisions the seamless integration of multi-modal transportation infrastructure, including highways, metro systems, and tramlines, alongside dedicated green spaces accounting for approximately 28 percent of the total territory.

Designers also factored in the distinct local climate, which features both severe summer heat and cold winters, differentiating it from purely arid regions. While acknowledging the value of international expertise, Agca insisted that the definitive architectural identity of New Tashkent must ultimately be shaped by local professionals, noting that his firm has established a local office in Tashkent to foster collaboration and capacity building among domestic architects.

Source: www.gazeta.uz