- Project: Apartment in Astana With a Light Asian Flair
- Architect: Kvadrat Architects
- Location: Kazakhstan, Astana
- Year: 2022
- Area: 130 m2
- Photography: Gleb Kramchaninov
In the heart of Astana, nestled in the Highvill Ishim residential complex near the Presidential Park and the Palace of Peace and Accord, Kvadrat Architects has redefined a modest apartment into a refined sanctuary of Asian-inspired minimalism. This 130-square-meter space now offers light, flow, and spiritual balance for a family of four.
🌬️ Turning Constraints into Concepts
The clients had lived in the apartment for two years before approaching Kvadrat Architects. Their main concern: the apartment’s low 2.8-meter ceilings and insufficient storage. What they longed for was airiness, light, and a sense of openness.
Kvadrat Architects responded with a strategy rooted in Asian spatial philosophy—creating calm through form, layering, and material texture.
“We use volume and subtle contrasts, not visual noise,” explain designers Rustam Minnekhanov and Sergey Bekmukhanbetov.
🧱 Central Cube: A Spatial Anchor
At the heart of the open-plan living, kitchen, and dining areas lies a cube-shaped architectural volume. This element unites the zones without dominating them. Its natural wood finish adds warmth and visual softness, grounding the entire composition.
🎨 A Palette of White and Warm Neutrals
The design embraces white walls and ceilings, enhanced by woody tones in furniture and finishes. Upholstered pieces mirror the curtains’ texture and tone, fostering a layered, enveloping atmosphere. Terrazzo-textured porcelain stoneware accents both the niche in the living room and a furniture section in the dining zone, adding quiet decorative rhythm.
🛏️ Expanded Bedroom & Integrated Storage
To meet the clients’ need for order and serenity, Kvadrat Architects reimagined the primary bedroom, integrating a 6-meter walk-in closet and concealed wardrobes. This redesign also freed space to expand the bathroom, which now includes a spacious closet for accessories.
🧘♀️ Design That Breathes
Despite the apartment’s original limitations, the finished interior reads as open, fluid, and meditative. It’s a space where textures breathe, light moves effortlessly, and architectural elements invite reflection.
Kvadrat Architects call this more than an interior—it’s a “place of power” that nurtures the spiritual, mental, and physical potential of its inhabitants. Designed to outlast trends, it becomes part of the family’s evolving story and cultural legacy.
