Keruen Aktobe
The extension to Keruen City Aktobe establishes a bold new urban edge for the shopping centre, transforming it into a landmark destination positioned at one of the city’s most prominent nodes.
Located alongside the Sadzy River and key arterial routes, the proposal capitalises on visibility, movement and landscape to create a highly legible and engaging addition to the existing mall.
Rather than a simple expansion, the project is conceived as a strategic counterpart - a new volume that sits comfortably alongside the existing building while redefining its relationship to the city.
A series of carefully considered massing moves establish the extension as both a continuation and a point of contrast, aligning datums with the existing centre while expressing key moments, particularly at river-facing corner and primary arrival routes.
A series of carefully considered massing moves establish the extension as both a continuation and a point of contrast, aligning datums with the existing centre while expressing key moments, particularly at river-facing corner and primary arrival routes.
The internal concept draws directly from the local context, taking cues from the flowing geometry of the Ilek River and the surrounding natural landscapes. Circulation routes meander through the plan, creating a more organic and engaging retail experience that contrasts with the rigidity of typical mall layouts.
Overhead, a series of sculptural canopy elements and tree-like columns introduce dappled light and a sense of vertical drama, evoking the experience of moving through a forest canopy. This layered approach to space, light and material creates a calm, tactile environment, balancing energy with moments of pause.
The internal concept draws directly from the local context, taking cues from the flowing geometry of the Ilek River and the surrounding natural landscapes. Circulation routes meander through the plan, creating a more organic and engaging retail experience that contrasts with the rigidity of typical mall layouts.
Overhead, a series of sculptural canopy elements and tree-like columns introduce dappled light and a sense of vertical drama, evoking the experience of moving through a forest canopy. This layered approach to space, light and material creates a calm, tactile environment, balancing energy with moments of pause.
The façade strategy reinforces the project’s identity as a destination. A layered system of perforated panels creates depth, texture and variation across the building envelope, responding to light and viewpoint throughout the day.
At key moments, particularly along the river edge, the façade opens up to reveal views and internal activity, while more solid areas provide a calm backdrop to the urban context. Subtle integration of branding within the façade pattern establishes a distinctive yet cohesive visual language, tying the architecture back to the Keruen identity.
Upper levels introduce food and beverage terraces oriented towards the water, transforming the river frontage into a key experiential asset. This move elevates the scheme beyond a conventional retail offer, positioning it as a lifestyle destination that engages with its surroundings.
The plan is driven by a clear commercial logic: maximise visibility, strengthen sight lines and extend the retail loop. New connections stitch the extension seamlessly into the existing shopping centre, ensuring intuitive circulation and continuous movement across all levels.
Anchor tenants are strategically positioned to be visible from both the existing mall and key external approaches, reinforcing footfall and drawing visitors through the scheme. This clarity of layout is paired with a simple, rectilinear massing strategy that ensures efficiency while allowing key moments, entrances, corners and atria; to become expressive architectural features.
