Design

Known locally as 'Yangi Toshkent', Cross Works was lead consultant for a new capital city for Uzbekistan

The overall visioning, design and cross-disciplinary coordination of a masterplan for a new ‘twin city’ located immediately to the east of the existing capital of Uzbekistan. The proposal has an estimated population of 2 million people on a site of 20,000 hectares; making it one of the largest new city projects in the world.

Following an international competition, Cross Works was selected and developed the masterplan from initial visioning to Concept Masterplan (CMP), and through to Detailed Masterplan (DMP) for District 1.

Cross Works is also responsible and overseeing the development of the urban design, landscape and architectural design guidelines for the city.

A brand new district for the eastern-most city of Uzbekistan

1000 hectare masterplan on the outskirts of Andijan, the eastern-most city of Uzbekistan. The overall brief was to provide an additional 3.5m sq/m of floor space, to house a population of 142,000 residents, and a supporting transient population of employees and visitors.

The masterplan included supporting commercial, cultural and community uses, all distributed according to a carefully curated neighbourhood plan, each with a 'community centre' at their heart. The project design process involved the careful consideration of the topography, and designing highways (alongside engineers) that required the least amount of ground movements, whilst preserving the natural landscapes and waterways.

Creating a new residential-led neighbourhood in Kazakhstan

Cross Works was commissioned to design a masterplan for a 50 hectare brownfield site in central Almaty (the largest city in Kazakhstan) that was to seamlessly knit in with the existing city and align with the stringent policies and regulations of the local authority. whilst satisfying the ambitious requirements of a brief that asked for 2,000,000 sq/m of mixed-use floor space.

The masterplan was made up of a variety of residential typologies, as well supporting community facilities (social infrastructure), commercial uses, cultural buildings and a stunning landscape strategy which also tied neatly into Almaty’s existing green space network, providing the locals with an abundance of useable open space and carefully designed public realm; all of which currently stands as a less attractive, industrial enclave of the city.

A hillside masterplan to re-house 600,000 people, after the 2023 earthquakes

Cross Works was called to the earthquake zone in south-east Turkiye in February 2023, just days after disaster struck the region. The government ministries and GYODER led the way as a client team determined to re-house the millions who had been displaced and left homeless, following the widespread destruction.

More than 20 development sites were allocated, and Cross Works was awarded 3 to develop as Pre-Concept Masterplans, which would later be developed in more detail. Here, we showcase the largest of the 3 sites; a 600 hectare greenfield, hillside site outside the city of Malatya. The main constraint being to design / develop on a highly topographical site with some challenging geological features. The proposed masterplan provided new homes for 600,000 inhabitants, as well as all the supporting commercial, cultural and community facilities.

The 575m landmark tower complex at the commercial centre of the new capital city

Tashkent Twin City Towers (TTCT) in District 1 of our New Tashkent Masterplan, Uzbekistan stands as a symbol of Tashkent’s expansion to the east; and the commercial core of the first phase of the development. The tower would be the 5th tallest building in the world (2024), and would act as a counterpoint with the old cente of the existing city centre, linked together along a key east-west primary road connection. The towers also sit at the end of a district park, that is connected to the citywide canal network, also conceived by Cross Works.

One of the masterplan’s priorities has been a seamless integration of the old city with the new city, leading to the notion of a ‘twin city’; as an expansion of the city to the east of the Chirchiq River, and inspiring the name of this commercial district (abbreviated as TTCT).

A residential development in the Congolese capital

Cross Works was commissioned to design this residential complex consisting of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units with ground level / undercroft parking (minimum 1 parking space per unit). The target unit numbers were defined by the parking capacity of the ground plane, so efficiency of layout was crucial.

The residents were supported by the communal amenities provided within the building, including a gym, top floor pool, locker facilities, full-time 24 hour security / concierge, post room and maintenance uses.

The design utilised grey and yellow brick courses, anodised aluminium and gold coloured panels, green pigmented concrete, and green timber panelling, all giving a green & gold finish.