by
Uzbekistan builds a new generation of cultural landmarks
The opening of Tashkent’s Centre for Contemporary Arts is part of wider investment in museums, heritage and creative infrastructure that is bringing international architects into Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s investment in cultural architecture has gained a new focal point with the opening of the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent, created within a former power station by French practice Studio KO. But the project is one part of a much larger programme reshaping the country’s cultural infrastructure.
Studio KO, via wallpaper.com
The Centre for Contemporary Arts occupies a 1912 electrical station in central Tashkent. Studio KO’s conversion retains the industrial character of the complex while introducing galleries, an art library, workshops, performance spaces and public amenities. It is the country’s first permanent institution dedicated to contemporary art.
Its arrival coincides with several major cultural projects commissioned by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), established in 2017 to develop the country’s cultural sector and strengthen its international connections.
Rather than commissioning a single landmark, Uzbekistan is assembling a network of new and renewed cultural institutions.
Among the largest projects in development is the new National Museum of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, designed by Tadao Ando Architect & Associates with exhibition design by Atelier Brückner. Construction formally began in 2025. The 40,000 sq m complex will include exhibition galleries, conservation laboratories, storage, a library and public facilities, with capacity to display up to 10,000 objects.
In Bukhara, Lebanese-French architect Lina Ghotmeh is designing the Jadids’ Legacy Museum, another of ACDF’s current projects. The city has also become home to the Bukhara Biennial, launched in 2025 as an international platform connecting contemporary practitioners with local artists and craftspeople.
Existing architecture is receiving similar attention. Ten examples of Tashkent’s 20th-century modernism were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2026, including Chorsu Bazaar, the State Museum of Arts, Tashkent State Circus and the Palace of Friendship of Peoples. The designation follows a wider effort to research, document and reconsider the city’s modernist architectural heritage.
via ccat.uz
The investment is creating opportunities beyond the design of individual landmark buildings. Adaptive reuse, conservation, exhibition design, public realm, cultural programming and creative workspaces are developing alongside new museums, creating potential demand for a broader range of architectural and design expertise.
For practices looking internationally, the significance is therefore less about any single commission than the pattern forming around them.
Uzbekistan’s cultural investment is making Central Asia an increasingly relevant region to watch for practices working across culture, conservation and public architecture.
The involvement of Studio KO, Tadao Ando, Lina Ghotmeh and Atelier Brückner shows that international collaboration is already part of this programme. As Uzbekistan develops new institutions while reassessing its existing architectural heritage, the country offers an example of how sustained cultural investment can create a wider ecosystem of opportunities for architectural practice.
Further information
Government of Uzbekistan – National Museum of Uzbekistan project
English 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
French 
German 
Italian 
Japanese 
Arabic 
Chinese