First Place Winner
Ainala Hotel
Design by
Aidana Migur, Migur Alexandr & Alexandr Petrik
Juror’s Comment:
A well-integrated cultural hub that effectively combines community engagement, sustainability, and contemporary identity.
Work on:
Could further emphasize multi-cultural narratives to better embody a truly global exchange.
Aidana Migur, Migur Alexandr & Alexandr Petrik
Aidana Migur
Aidana Migur is a conceptual architect from Kazakhstan with professional experience in architecture and urban planning since 2017. Her work focuses on master planning, architectural concept development, facade design, and landscape integration, with a particular interest in creating context-driven and culturally responsive design solutions.
Her background combines both visual arts and architecture. Before pursuing architectural studies, she graduated from the Art Lyceum of Aktobe, where she developed a strong foundation in artistic composition and visual thinking. This early experience continues to influence her approach to architecture, shaping her interest in conceptual design, storytelling, and graphic representation.
Aidana holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering (KazGASA), with additional academic experience at Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania and participation in an international architecture workshop at Saga University in Japan.
Currently, she provides independent architectural consulting and conceptual design services for private clients and international design competitions. She believes that architecture should emerge from a deep understanding of place, culture, and environment while communicating ideas through clear visual storytelling and thoughtful design.
Alexandr Migur
Alexandr Migur is an architect from Kazakhstan with professional experience in architecture and construction since 2011. He graduated from the Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering (KazGASA) and has extensive experience across all stages of the architectural process, from concept development and design documentation to construction supervision and building implementation.
Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions in major architectural firms, managing multidisciplinary teams and overseeing complex projects from design through realization. His broad expertise combines creative problem-solving with a deep understanding of technical design, construction processes, and long-term building performance.
Today, Alexandr Migur is the Founder and Director of Studio 117, where he leads architectural projects of various scales while continuing to provide consulting and design services throughout all stages of development and construction. Studio 117 website: https://117.studio/
Alexander Petrik
Alexander Petrik is an architect. Born in 1989 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, he developed an interest in architecture at the age of sixteen, which ultimately shaped his professional career. In 2011, he graduated from the Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering with a degree in Architecture and has been continuously practicing in the field ever since.
Throughout his career, Alexander has contributed to the design of projects of various scales and functions, ranging from private residences to large residential developments and public buildings. His professional experience covers all stages of architectural design, with a particular focus on architectural concept development and architectural visualization.
Currently, he leads the conceptual design division of one of the largest design and engineering companies in the region, bringing together approximately 400 professionals. His work emphasizes the creation of expressive architectural forms and their integration with the surrounding environment, viewing architecture as a means of establishing a harmonious relationship between people, space, and context.
Over the course of his career, Alexander has participated in numerous international architectural competitions. Among his recent achievements is being named a finalist in the international Abandoned Airport competition in Iceland.
His primary professional interests lie in the exploration of innovative conceptual approaches, the relationship between architecture and landscape, and the creation of architectural identities that contribute to a distinctive sense of place.
Celebrating Creativity & Vision
Winner’s Spotlight: An Exclusive Interview
Discover the story behind the victory — from concept to creation.
Concept & Interpretation
As architects from Kazakhstan, we grew up in a culture deeply rooted in hospitality and multiculturalism. Kazakhstan has always been a crossroads of civilizations - a place where different peoples, traditions, and languages naturally coexist and enrich one another. We wanted our project to reflect and celebrate this spirit, and to contribute to its continuation.
The name of our hotel - Ainala - translates from Kazakh as "surrounding" or "circle." In a deeper, figurative sense, it means "a close circle of people" or "everything near and dear." This word became the heart of our concept: a sanctuary is not a place of isolation, but a place of closeness - where people from different backgrounds come together, feel welcomed, and find a sense of belonging.
We interpreted the idea of a Global Sanctuary as a living cultural space rather than simply a place to stay. Our vision was to create an environment where cultural exchange happens naturally - through shared spaces, everyday interactions, local experiences, and meaningful encounters between guests and the city around them.
The hotel is located along Almaty's beloved Terrenkur pedestrian route, seamlessly connecting it to the city's cultural and natural landscape. Its territory is open and permeable - designed so that the boundary between the hotel and the urban environment dissolves, inviting both guests and local residents to share the same spaces and experiences.
Cultural Fusion Through Design
The architectural form of Ainala is inspired by Assyk - an ancient traditional game of the nomadic peoples of Central Asia, played with the knucklebones of sheep. The smooth, organic contours and proportions of these bones became the foundation of our architectural language: the silhouette of the building, the curvature of its surfaces, and the rhythm of its volumes all carry the memory of this cultural heritage.
At the same time, we deliberately chose an international architectural style for the facade - clean, contemporary, and universally legible - so that the building feels welcoming to guests from any cultural background. However, on closer inspection, traditional Kazakh floral ornaments emerge in the stained-glass facade elements and interior details. These patterns are not merely decorative: they are symbols of spirituality, harmony, and unity with nature, deeply rooted in Central Asian nomadic culture.
This layered approach - a modern exterior that reveals its cultural depth gradually - reflects how cultural identity works in real life: it is not always visible at first glance, but it is always present.
The choice of materials also carries cultural meaning. Locally sourced brick, stone, and certified timber connect the building to its specific place and landscape, grounding the design in the authentic context of Almaty and Kazakhstan.
Hospitality Beyond Accommodation
From the very beginning, we designed Ainala not as a closed hospitality facility, but as an open cultural destination - a place that belongs equally to hotel guests and to the local community of Almaty.
The hotel territory is fully permeable: public spaces flow naturally into the surrounding urban environment, with no barriers separating the hotel from the city. This openness is intentional - it creates a constant exchange between visitors and residents.
At the heart of this vision is the Creative Cluster - a space that brings together local artisans, artists, and creative groups. Its facades are made of transparent structures, so that passersby can observe craftspeople at work, feel inspired, and join open workshops and classes. Educational hubs offer lectures on regional culture, language exchange sessions, and workshops on traditional crafts and sustainable practices. Thrift shops allow guests to bring home authentic pieces made by local hands.
The Exhibition Space functions as the cultural "square" of the complex - hosting exhibitions, lectures, concerts, and film screenings that bring people together around shared ideas and stories.
The Gastronomic Courtyard features local chefs and offers joint culinary masterclasses and tastings of regional products - one of the most natural ways for people of different cultures to connect.
Outdoor spaces, a platform for live musicians, and the traditional Kazakh Altybakan swings complete the picture - creating a vibrant public environment where cultural learning happens not through instruction, but through everyday experience and genuine human interaction.
Creating a Sense of Belonging
Belonging is not created by programs - it is created by space itself: its scale, rhythm, and character.
We deliberately moved away from a monolithic building in favor of a complex of several smaller blocks. This scale does not overwhelm - it creates the kind of warmth and intimacy found in a residential neighborhood, where orientation comes naturally and where it is easy to feel at home.
Nature became the universal language of the project. Green roofs, the park along the Terrenkur route, open terraces - all of these create an environment that feels comfortable for a person from any cultural background. Nature needs no translation.
Traditional Kazakh elements are present throughout the project in a subtle, unhurried way - they do not impose themselves, but reveal themselves gradually. A guest from any country first experiences a contemporary, universally legible space - and only then begins to notice the cultural depth beneath. This invites curiosity rather than creating distance.
Spatial Experience & Storytelling
The story of Ainala begins before the guest even enters the hotel. Arriving along the Terrenkur pedestrian route, they pass through a landscaped park filled with art objects, a platform for live musicians, and spaces for traditional Kazakh games. The boundary between city and hotel is deliberately blurred - the narrative starts in the public realm.
Moving deeper into the complex, the guest encounters the Creative Cluster - its transparent facades revealing the work of local artisans inside. This moment of visibility is intentional: it communicates that creativity and cultural exchange are not hidden amenities, but the living core of the project.
Further in, the Gastronomic Courtyard offers a more intimate setting - a place to slow down, share a meal, and connect with the flavors of the region. The scale shifts from urban to human.
The culmination of the spatial journey is the green roof of the workshop building, reached by a continuous circular ramp. Here, an open panoramic platform offers views across the entire complex - a moment of reflection and perspective, both literally and metaphorically. The guest looks out over everything they have just moved through: the park, the workshops, the courtyards - and understands the project as a whole.
This sequence - from city, to culture, to community, to panorama - is the architectural story we wanted to tell.
Sustainability & Community Impact
Environmental responsibility was embedded into the project at every scale - from urban strategy to material choice.
Energy & Climate. The building is equipped with approximately 1,000 m² of solar panels, generating 150–180 MWh of electricity per year and reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 150 tons annually. Movable facade louvers control solar gain throughout the day, reducing the load on heating and cooling systems. Green roofs across the complex lower the urban heat island effect - particularly important in Almaty, where dense development and mountain geography limit natural ventilation.
Ecology & Air Quality. The project prioritizes natural airflow through careful building orientation and layout. Modern ventilation units with high-efficiency filtration and real-time CO₂ and PM2.5 monitoring ensure healthy indoor air quality. Green roofs also support urban biodiversity, providing habitat for birds, insects, and pollinators.
Materials. We used locally sourced brick, stone, and FSC-certified timber to minimize transportation emissions. Metal facade panels were chosen for their near-infinite recyclability. All interior finishes use low-VOC materials - natural wood, cork, and water-based plasters.
Community Impact. Surface parking is eliminated entirely in favor of underground facilities with electric vehicle charging stations, and bicycle parking is provided at the park entrance. Perhaps most meaningfully, the project includes an Ecosen recycling collection point - filling a real gap in Almaty's recycling infrastructure and serving the surrounding neighborhood within a 500-meter radius.
Balancing Tradition & Contemporary Hospitality
For us, tradition and contemporary hospitality were never opposites.
When people travel, they want comfort and convenience, but they also want to feel that they have arrived somewhere unique. We tried to achieve both. The hotel offers all the qualities expected from a contemporary hospitality project, while its identity is rooted in the culture of Kazakhstan.
Instead of directly copying historical architecture, we looked for ways to reinterpret cultural elements in a modern way. The inspiration from the Assyk game shaped the overall form of the complex, while traditional ornaments appear subtly in the facade and interior details. Guests may not notice these references immediately, but they gradually discover them during their stay.
We think this approach feels more natural. Culture becomes something that people experience rather than simply observe. It is present in the architecture, in the workshops, in the food, in the public spaces, and in the people they meet.
For us, authenticity is not about recreating the past - it is about allowing local culture to remain a living part of everyday experience.
The Future of Cultural Hospitality
Today it is easier than ever to travel, but that does not always mean it is easier to truly connect with a place.
We believe hospitality architecture can play an important role in changing that. Hotels have the potential to become more than temporary accommodation - they can become places where people encounter new cultures, exchange ideas, and build understanding through everyday experiences.
In our view, the most successful hospitality projects of the future will not separate visitors from local life. Instead, they will create opportunities for interaction, learning, and participation.
That idea became the foundation of Ainala. By opening the hotel to the city, creating spaces for local artists and craftspeople, and encouraging shared cultural experiences, we wanted to design a place where guests do not simply visit Almaty - they become part of its cultural life, even if only for a short time.
If architecture can help people leave with a deeper understanding of one another, then it has already achieved something meaningful.
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