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ARCHITECTFOSTER + PARTNERS
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CONTRACTORSEMBOL CONST.
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CATEGORYCULTURAL
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LOCATIONASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN
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YEAR2015
Designed by Foster + Partners, the Nazarbayev Centre is a landmark cultural building in the heart of Astana, distinguished by its eye-shaped geometry and monumental free-span roof. Metal Yapı Group delivered the engineering, design, fabrication, and installation of the building’s iconic skylight system, transforming the roof into a highly efficient daylighting and structural solution.
The project features a 6,500 m² double-glazed, single-layer freeform skylight spanning 90 meters in diameter with a 20° inclination, supported by a high-strength peripheral steel ring beam and slender RHS 300×200 steel members. Despite its exceptional span, the system achieves a thickness-to-span ratio of approximately 1/300, comparable to one-third of a natural eggshell combining extreme lightness with structural strength.
High-performance 2,700 × 2,700 mm glass panels and precision-engineered steel geometry enable maximum daylight penetration while maintaining thermal performance and structural stability. The north-oriented configuration minimizes direct solar gain, enhancing visual comfort and energy efficiency within the building’s interior spaces.
As the first and largest single-layer freeform skylight in Asia, the Nazarbayev Centre dome stands as a benchmark for advanced roof and envelope engineering, bearing the signature of Metal Yapı Group’s expertise in complex, large-span architectural structures.
