At the crossroads of cultural exchange, Tashkent is an outstanding example of modernist architecture that successfully blended Soviet and Islamic cultures and their respective visual traditions.
 
The home of the Centre, a 1912-building emblematic of the architectural heritage in Tashkent, was originally designed by Wilhem Heinzelmann, the Head of the construction department for the Turkestan region. Heinzelmann also designed some of Tashkent’s most iconic buildings, such as the Tashkent Real School, the Palace of Grand Duke Romanov, the Treasury Chamber and several other notable landmarks in the city.
 
Once a diesel station then a tram depot, the building was entrusted to the Foundation in 2019 as part of its long-term cultural development strategy. The structure that now houses the Centre is undergoing a careful transformation, led by Gayane Umerova, in collaboration with acclaimed French architecture firm Studio KO. Their project combines contemporary materials with Uzbek traditions, to create a contemporary space, both contemplative and open.

About Studio KO
Since the beginning of Studio KO's creation twenty-five years ago, architects Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty have marked their influence through projects across Europe, the Americas and Africa. The creative duo embodies an eclectic spirit, approaching each project with a fresh perspective. Whether private residences, public spaces, or contemporary homes in natural settings, each project is a playground. The architects draw their cues from the natural or preexisting infrastructure of a site and then follow those threads. Context, therefore, becomes the starting point for any design. Each custom project generates poetry out of a delicate balance between necessary structural guidelines and the joy of creating a story.