Acupuncture urbanism
Creation of public spaces through the efforts of city residents
Urban acupuncture is the positive change of urban environment via work on its strategic points. The city can be improved not only “from above” through big urban planning decisions and serious financial investments, but also through the transformation of small but strategically located public spaces using smaller resources often collected by residents and business communities themselves.
The project is conducted by the SILK team and students of AUCA's Anthropology, Urbanism and International Development Master's Program Altynai Yusupova, Daria Lopukhova and Elina Saparova under the supervision of Dr. Emil Nasritdinov, with the support from the Open Society University Network and Bishkek Chief Architect's Office.
The project is conducted by the SILK team and students of AUCA's Anthropology, Urbanism and International Development Master's Program Altynai Yusupova, Daria Lopukhova and Elina Saparova under the supervision of Dr. Emil Nasritdinov, with the support from the Open Society University Network and Bishkek Chief Architect's Office.
(Among many other factors) our love for our homeland and our cities grows in proportion to our personal contribution to their prosperity.
Point #1
River in the City
Intersection of Aaly Tokombaev Street and Ala-Archa River
What the site looks like now
How we see the place it in the future
Help the project realization financially or by participating in its construction
Current Condition
What the site looks like now
Our first point is at the intersection of two very important pedestrian flows: along the Aaly Tokombayev Street and along the embankment of the Ala-Archa River.
At the moment, the space looks abandoned, ruinated and dangerous for people crossing Maldybaeva Street diagonally and climbing the hill in the absence of stairs or a ramp.
Nontheless, the site has a very great potential. It has a large tree with a wide crown, which provides attractive shade, and two irrigation ditches, which create a pleasant microclimate. The three-meter-high wall of Tokombaeva Street creates a feeling of semi-closed and protected space. It already has graffiti with Nelson Mandela's portrait and plenty of space for new graffiti or mosaics.
Our Vision
How we see the place it in the future
We propose to create a new public space on this derelict site with the following main elements:
- Amphitheater
- Ramps
- Bench around the tree
- A platform along the wall with experimental benches and a table
- Area for exercise
- Platform with benches at the riverwalk level
- Decorative paving using different types of hard and soft surfaces and mosaics
- Wall decoration
“River in the city” - a path of blue mosaic flows through strict geometric shapes symbolizing the city
Before and After
Compare how the site looks now and how it looks in our vision
The space will also have good nighttime lighting
We presented the project to Urmat Karybaev, Chief Architect of Bishkek City, and Einar Kulbaev, Head of the City Landscaping Department We gained their support and interest in cooperation, particularly in the further creation of public spaces along the Ala-Archa and Alamedin rivers. The report on the meeting was published on the economist.kg page
Meeting at the Chief Architect's Office
Make Your Own Contribution
Help the project realization financially or by participating in its construction
We have made preliminary budget calculations for this project. The total amount for construction materials with 10% contingencies, without labor costs, is approximately 500 thousand som.
You can help in two ways
Money transfer
You can make a money transfer
- via M-Bank or Elsom to SILK Director Dr. Emil Nasritdinov at +996-998-654007
Or via PayPal to SILK co-founder Seth Fearry at the following link
Participate in the construction process
We plan to carry out the main construction work ourselves and would be happy for you to participate in the process with us. Please fill in the following form so that we can contact you when the work starts.
together we can make our city better
