UK: FUTURE PLACES
2025
ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN / FEBRUARY 20
A glance back at the "UK Future Places" conference held on 20 February 2025 at Rixos Almaty. British and Kazakhstani minds met to redefine the future of our cities, planting the seeds for smarter, greener, and more sustainable urban environments across Kazakhstan.
The event covered a remarkable breadth of topics, from charting the development of Future Cities (Sessions 1 and 2) and designing smart Future Buildings (Session 3), to preparing for the demands of the Future Profession in Session 4, which ARCHICA supported as a partner event.
As proud partners, ARCHICA helped steer the conversation on critical industry shifts and transforming expectations. The session on the future of the architectural profession, with participation of world-renowned experts from academic and industry backgrounds - RIBA, Cross Works, INK Architects, DFA, KazASA and University for Creative Arts London - emphasized the urgent need for deepening academic expertise, examinined impacts of technology on the profession, and established a framework for how to deliver future-proof upskilling.
As proud partners, ARCHICA helped steer the conversation on critical industry shifts and transforming expectations. The session on the future of the architectural profession, with participation of world-renowned experts from academic and industry backgrounds - RIBA, Cross Works, INK Architects, DFA, KazASA and University for Creative Arts London - emphasized the urgent need for deepening academic expertise, examinined impacts of technology on the profession, and established a framework for how to deliver future-proof upskilling.
Patrick Schumacher,
Partner at Zaha
Hadid Architects, delivering a keynote address
Partner at Zaha
Hadid Architects, delivering a keynote address
A delegation of leading UK architectural firms participated in the conference, opening up new opportunities for collaboration and exchange of experience. With a welcoming speech by Kathy Leach, British Ambassador to Kazakhstan, the event served as a platform for leading experts in architecture, development, construction, urban planning, and education.
The "Future Profession" session, with a foreword by Indira Makhmetova, Founder of ARCHICA, delved into the crucial evolution of skills required for architects and urban planners in the digital era. Experts, including Adrian Dobson from RIBA and Bakhtiyar Sabdenaliyev from KazGASA, discussed the necessary competencies to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.
KEY EVENT: signing of a Memorandum
A major milestone was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University for the Creative Arts and KazGASA, paving the way for advanced architectural education in Kazakhstan.
A major milestone was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University for the Creative Arts and KazGASA, paving the way for advanced architectural education in Kazakhstan.
CONFERENCE OVERVIEW