Exhibition Hall of the Union of Artists of Uzbekistan

Before us stands the Central Exhibition Hall of the Academy of Arts, one of the capital's most recognizable buildings. The idea for its construction arose during a difficult period for the city, immediately after the devastating 1966 earthquake, when many of Tashkent's creative associations lost their venues. The building was designed starting in 1969, and the first exhibitions opened here in October 1974. The creation of the technical design proceeded in record time. Chief architect Rafael Khairutdinov was actively assisted by his wife Firuza, who took on the grueling task of creating the scale models. The exterior of the building is formed by a powerful yet visually light arcade. Pay attention to the shape of these rhythmic folds: they reference the classic pointed arches of Islamic architecture. However, the engineers employed an unconventional structural technique. The arch halves do not meet at the top in a single keystone; a gap is left between them. Thanks to this open silhouette, the heavy reinforced concrete building sheds its visual heaviness. The facade itself serves two functions at once: it is both a practical sun-shading screen (panjara) and a large-scale decorative panel. Looking closely at the relief, you can see a stylized ornament shaped like open white cotton bolls. They contrast strikingly against the deep background of traditional blue glazed ceramics. Inside, the exhibition space easily transforms for any task — from classical painting to massive installations. The semantic center of the interior layout is a spacious double-height courtyard hall, designed specifically for displaying volumetric sculptures. Natural lighting here is provided by a well-thought-out system of skylights on the roof. At the ground floor level, the gallery is made completely open: the exposition flows smoothly out onto the street, offering a view of the green boulevard esplanade and the neighboring Tashkent Hotel. Like many bold projects of its time, the Exhibition Hall initially faced harsh criticism. Some architectural historians reproached the authors for a superficial quotation of historical heritage, while a number of colleagues felt the building lacked monumental grandeur. Nevertheless, time has put everything in its place. Today, this hall with its rhythmic blue arches is the vibrant core of Tashkent's artistic life. This is especially palpable in spring. Every year in early April, the area around the building turns into a huge open-air creative workshop. Art academy students flock here: they set up easels, sketch right on the steps and alleys, and open-air student exhibitions and plein airs take place here as well. If you are lucky enough to be by the Exhibition Hall at this time, you will see how the modern generation of artists breathes new life into architecture created for them half a century ago.