The desire to create a family atmosphere in an out-of-school education and leisure centre gave rise to the idea of reproducing the centrally planned structure of the Kazakh yurt with its shanyrak - a round roof opening above the hearth, while using a modern language to translate traditional images and meanings. The lowest level is composed of separate boxes covered with traditional ornaments, and are efficiently placed on top of each other, forming stepped "hills". The three-storey space between them, covered with a cylindrical volume, is a top-lit atrium forming the Forum, the main public and recreational space of the complex. At the moment, 10,000 schoolchildren old attend 109 clubs and 603 hobby groups overseen by a teaching staff of 170.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
