metal sawtooth roof tops renovated narxoz university business school in almaty

"Narxoz University Business School in Almaty, Kazakhstan, repurposes a former Soviet-era building into a contemporary facility for executive education. The project, designed by AGP Architects - Astana Grazhdan Proekt, adapts an existing structure from 1978, introducing new spatial and structural systems while restoring key architectural features, most notably the original sawtooth roof. Through selective demolition, structural reinforcement, and targeted additions, the building is redefined as an independent academic and public environment within the university campus."

"The original building had served multiple functions over time, including administrative offices and a cafeteria. A rooftop extension added in the early 2000s altered the building's proportions and obscured the sawtooth roof, resulting in a visually heavy form that lacked a clear architectural identity. The renovation brief extended beyond functional upgrading, aiming to establish a distinct institutional presence suitable for professional education, exchange, and public engagement."

"Working within the constraints of the existing structure required careful attention to height limitations, load-bearing capacity, and seismic regulations. Structural assessments identified non-compliance in the added upper floor, necessitating its removal. This process revealed the concealed sawtooth roof, which was subsequently identified through archival research and on-site analysis as a defining feature of the original design. The dismantled level was reconstructed using a new structural system that allowed the sawtooth profile to be preserved and reinterpreted as a central architectural element."

Narxoz University Business School repurposes a 1978 Soviet-era campus building into a contemporary facility for executive education and public engagement. The project adapts the existing structural framework while introducing new spatial and structural systems and restoring defining architectural features, notably the original sawtooth roof. Selective demolition removed a non-compliant rooftop extension, enabling structural reinforcement and reconstruction that preserves and reinterprets the sawtooth profile. A new attached entrance volume clarifies circulation and provides a visible access point. The renovation establishes an independent academic and public environment within the university, accommodating professional education, exchange, and community use.

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