An event dedicated to urban planning called “Shaarkana” took place in Bishkek, where the General Plan was discussed: “How nomadic thinking shapes a vibrant city.” Among the participants were experts such as former chief architect of the capital Marat Joroev, urban architect Nurislam Myrzakanov, anthropology lecturer Emil Nasretdinov, and founder of the “Shaarkana” platform Atai Samybek uulu.
Since the beginning of the year, the main urban planning document has been actively discussed in Bishkek; however, as the participants noted, residents still have many questions.
Uneven development and the “adobe belt”
Architect Marat Joroev emphasized that Bishkek continues to develop unevenly.
“Kyrgyz are nomads, but now we have settled in the capital, and we need to make it comfortable for living. The city is still surrounded by an adobe belt, which is present in both the old and new General Plans. The situation remains the same: the center is overloaded, while the outskirts are fragmented and sparsely populated, although traffic jams also occur there,” he noted.
Joroev criticized the new General Plan, pointing out that it is primarily focused on the construction of high-rise buildings rather than creating a comfortable urban environment.
He also added that the southern part of the city, which was originally intended as a green zone, is now being actively developed. “The construction resembles a game of Tetris. This could lead to the formation of ghettos,” the architect expressed his opinion.
He also commented on the controversial idea of bringing trams back to Bishkek, considering this decision not entirely logical. “When the city already had a trolleybus system, which was abandoned due to the wires, returning to trams, which also require wires, seems absurd,” Joroev added.
Transition to a master plan
Founder of “Shaarkana” Atai Samybek uulu noted that during the discussions, residents mainly asked questions about their homes and plots, without addressing the strategic development of the city as a whole.Experts concluded that the traditional format of the General Plan as a rigid document is losing relevance. The modern tool is the master plan—a more flexible document that is easier to adapt to changes.
Emil Nasretdinov, an anthropology lecturer, expressed the opinion that both the General Plan and the approaches to master planning have become outdated.
“Planning a city 25 years ahead in a rigid form is impractical. Perhaps it is worth abandoning traditional methods of working with the General Plan and seeking new approaches,” he believes.
Focus on people and the “happiness index”
Urban architect Nurislam Myrzakanov emphasized that the density and nature of development significantly affect the quality of life of city residents.
A car-centric city makes people unhappy.
Nurislam Myrzakanov
“Today Bishkek is centered around cars. Designers focus on parking lots, which only increases stress levels and decreases physical activity,” he noted.
According to him, the city is becoming inconvenient for pedestrians, while the ability to move on foot makes the environment more comfortable. He cited Istanbul as an example, where the city center is filled with public spaces and attractions accessible for walking.
Participants in the meeting agreed that Bishkek needs a more people-oriented approach to planning, focusing not on quantitative indicators of development but on the quality of the urban environment and the well-being of residents.
