The KBTU Building is a building in

Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...

that is located in the

Astana Square Astana Square () or Old Square, formerly known as Red Square and Lenin Square, is a city square in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is the second largest square in Kazakhstan, after Republic Square, Almaty, Republic Square. It hosts many public events, conce ...

. Constructed in 1957, it is one of the most historic and iconic buildings in the city.

History

The building was originally intended to serve the

Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR The Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR (; ), also known as the Supreme Council, was a supreme organ of republican power of Kazakhstan, then known as the Kazakh SSR, one of the republics comprising the Soviet Union. The Supreme Soviet was the only g ...

. The construction of it began in 1938 at the cost of 14 million rubles, but by 1941, only excavations were dug on the spot. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, construction was suspended, it was resumed in 1951 and completed in 1957. The building was designed in the workshop of Mosproject under the direction of architect Boris Rubanenko. The drafts were carried out by Kazgorstroyproekt under the direction of P.A. Mamontov, G.A. Kalish. The building consists of three compositional volumes, interconnected by wide passages. In the center of them is the Supreme Council Hall, located along the main longitudinal axis of the building, it forms two rectangular courtyards. The architectural solution of the main facade is a huge 8-column spatial portico, creating an effective play of light and shadow. The interior has a clear layout of the interior space of the building. In 1972, the side halls were expanded. In 1980, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan moved to a new building in the Republic Square. In 1982, the building was added to the list of monuments of urban planning and architecture. In 1987 the Alley of Busts memorial complex was established near the building to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the

October Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...

. The law on Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan was adopted in this building in 1991. From 1997 to 2001, the building served as a residence for the Akim of Almaty Region. The building after that remained vacant for less than year until it became occupied by the

Kazakh-British Technical University Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) is a public university located in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It was founded in 2001. KBTU’s research is focused in the main sectors of the Kazakhstani economy – oil and gas, information technologies, banki ...

. In 2018, the main hall of KBTU was reconstructed. This required the construction of special scaffolding with a height of 14 meters.

References

{{Coord, 43, 15, 20, N, 76, 56, 36, E, display=title Buildings and structures in Almaty Buildings and structures completed in 1957