The domestic architecture of Kazak has long been shaped by the land. Completed by Audrey Matlock Architect in 2009, Tian Shan Mountain House explores how its rugged landscape can inspire the habitation and lifestyle of contemporary Kazak. Located in Almaty, Kazakhstan with 20,000 SF in size, the design for this house needs construction techniques that are new to Kazakhstan.
Design
The site of this project is a steep mountainside with severe seismic conditions and poor soil. This project creates a structural negotiation with the land, employing the cascade of the retaining walls and terraces. These step down the slope to provide a framework for the building and to stabilize the earth.
Architecture
The result of the house design is a taming of the rugged landscape into formal precincts with awesome earthworks. This taming mirrors the house architecture precision. The distinction between inside and out is blurred while every room of the house offers access to the long views and outdoor space.
Details
Some construction techniques in this project design are new to Kazakhstan. The design team combines outside experts with local labor and suppliers. This combination introduces new knowledge and techniques to the Almaty construction industry. The architectural concrete introduction of this project is successful and it becomes the first to employ this method locally.
Tian Shan Mountain House Gallery
Photographer: Zhanarbek Amankulov