Khan Shatyr in Astana: how did you manage to build such a grandiose tent

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, boasts many unusual objects, made with Asian luxury, but according to the plans of European architects. One of these structures is Khan Shatyr, the largest tent in the world, 150 meters high.

This is a truly grandiose facility, erected in the capital for 4 years, it housed a water park, sandy beaches, tropical plants and retail and office space. Its construction did not stop either in the summer, during the terrible heat, or in the winter, when the temperature dropped to -30 degrees. Astana is located in the continental climate zone, in winter here, unlike the southern capital, the city of Almaty, you can observe the most severe winter. Just in order for residents and guests of the capital to be able to visit the beach in the middle of winter, the construction of Khan Shatyr was launched, which was opened in July 2010.

The architect of the project was the famous British Norman Foster, who designed several more original objects in the Kazakh capital, and a Turkish company took part in the construction itself. The building is a huge tent and has an area of more than 120,000 square meters. m. The basis of the design is a huge tripod, to which steel cables are attached. They are coated with a transparent polymer coating called ETFE, which prevents sudden temperature changes. And in order to ensure a comfortable temperature inside the tent in winter and summer, the building is equipped with a climate control system. And this video shows how architects came to such an unusual building concept.

The spire of the building has a height of 150 meters, and the main load lies on a kind of tripod. Its lifting and installation, according to architects, became the most difficult stage of construction. And here is how it happened.