Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall
Manfredi Nicoletti · Astana, Kazakhstan · 2009
Manfredi Nicoletti’s Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall is composed as a cluster of blue curved shells that open toward Astana’s governmental center. The sculptural envelope protects a large central auditorium and smaller performance spaces while creating a sheltered internal public realm suited to the city’s harsh winters. The exterior geometry gives the concert hall an unusually fluid identity within Astana’s otherwise axial monumental planning. Officially opened in December 2009, the project is a major cultural anchor of the capital and a prominent example of expressive contemporary civic architecture in Kazakhstan.