Almaty

For an interior designer, working on their own home is always a test of sincerity. In this 260 square meter project, Gulnara Karina brought her vision of comfort to life, balancing the seclusion of a mountain retreat with the energy of a major city. "After moving to Almaty, we were looking for a home that combined the privacy of a hillside 'clubhouse' with the convenience of a developed urban infrastructure." Damir Otegen Living Room: The Art of Light and Volume The focal points of the room are the crystal and brass chandeliers, crafted with jewelry like precision. The architectural scale is emphasized by plaster cornices and tall doorways that visually elongate the space. Depth is achieved through a sophisticated palette of cre... More

Bibigul Orazalina | The Vision: Timeless SophisticationDesigned for a young family as their year-round residence, this 120 sq.m. apartment is a testament to the quiet luxury philosophy. Completed in a remarkably efficient five-month period, the project avoided major setbacks through a highly productive collaboration between the designer, Bibigul Orazalina, and her clients. The primary objective was to establish a calm and sophisticated environment where natural materials and clean architectural lines take center stage, intentionally avoiding over-complicated wall details. Natalya Gorbunova Architectural Narrative and LayoutThe architecture of the space plays a leading role in the design. A single architectural axis aligns the kitchen,... More

Completed in 2025, this 165-square-meter residential project by designer Zaure Buzdayeva is a masterclass in modern living. The conceptual heart of the interior, titled "Back to the Roots" focuses on weaving cultural heritage into a contemporary architectural framework. Damir Otegen Design Philosophy: Local Context and LayoutThe design concept was inspired by an exploration of the Tanbaly petroglyphs, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This influence drove the need to create an environment where traditional motifs feel right at home within a modern space. Damir Otegen The apartment features an open-plan layout designed for a seamless flow of light and air. While floor-to-ceiling windows provide the primary source of natural light, sl... More

The Almaty-based studio breathes new life into a landmark pavilion, transforming 1960s nostalgia into a bold manifesto for contemporary commercial design. The Aqqu Central Café project is more than just a new opening in Almaty’s prestigious "Golden Square" it is a profound act of architectural reincarnation. In the 1960s, this site in Manshuk Mametova Park was home to the legendary "Aqqu" (Kazakh for White Swan). It was a sanctuary for the city’s intelligentsia, famous for its serene ponds where a pair of swans lived. After the original building was lost to a fire and eventually demolished, the site remained vacant, preserved only in the warm memories of older generations. Damir Otegen In 2025, Alena Krasatulinа an... More

This new business center in a prominent Almaty district takes inspiration from cellular networks, blending modern design with a focus on the environment. darrts Its colorful façade catches the light, creating lively visuals, and the interiors are bright and comfortable thanks to central atriums that let in plenty of daylight. darrts By using energy-saving technologies and reducing carbon emissions, the center leads the way for eco-friendly buildings in the city. darrts More

Koktobe City is a mid-rise residential complex, located in a hillside in a highly seismic active zone. The project is currently under construction and is planned to complete in 2020. The development bridges two sides of a highway road and connects the residents and visitors to the nature of the region. It addresses the issues of a big city, such as noise pollution and social disconnection. The residents will enjoy the benefits of 2-4 story buildings. Living in a compact and dense neighbourhood enhances the sense of community and overall wellbeing level. The facade features and building materials vary from house to house to create visual diversity and sense of space.Moreover, the apartments are designed for flexibility: the owners could re-a... More

The interior design for Telli was inspired by Almaty itself, which is also known as the “City of Apples”. Apple trees are of great importance to locals here and we wanted to work with this concept by making the apple tree a key symbol of the design. The large, wooden oak feature found within the space is representative of an apple tree and is supposed to connect different spaces of the boutique such as the shop with relaxation areas and the gallery. Just like the tree connects these distinct areas, it also becomes an abstraction in itself, as it is made out of individual elements or branches that become one tree, giving the space more of an organic feel. Meanwhile, the locally-sourced wood was used to aesthetically tie all these varying ele... More