Tashkent’s Late Modernist Architecture: A Symbol of Soviet Complex Processes of Collaboration, Hybridization, and Orientalization

Abstract

In the late 20th century, Tashkent emerged as a site of architectural and urban experimentation, reflecting the Soviet ambition to establish it as the socialist gateway to the East. A pivotal moment in this transformation was the earthquake of April 26, 1966, which provided the long-awaited opportunity to implement a comprehensive modernization plan. Facilitated by the Peoples’ Friendship Pact, workers from across the Soviet Union contributed to the reconstruction, initially focusing on standardized structures for essential services and later developing the so-called individual’nye proekty (individual buildings), which integrated Soviet modernism with local architectural features. This large-scale urban renewal was made possible through collaboration between local authorities and design institutes from Uzbekistan and Moscow, yet it was also shaped by the structural challenges and contradictions of the Soviet system. This essay explores the dynamics that drove these collaborations, the institutional frameworks that supported them, and the challenges that shaped their outcomes, aiming to provide a critical interpretation.