Kazakhstan is moving with considerable speed on one of the most ambitious urban development projects in the world, pressing ahead with plans to build an entirely new city called Alatau that could one day be home to some two million people. Details of the project were presented to a joint session of the country’s parliament on March 20, with authorities making clear that construction is advancing and that the vision for Alatau is nothing short of a complete reimagining of what a city can be. The new city is being built on the site of what was the village of Zhetygen, approximately 50 kilometres north of Almaty, and will occupy an area of around 88,000 hectares, larger than both Singapore and Seoul.
Alatau will be divided into four districts. The Gate district will serve as the business and financial hub, housing the airport and railway junctions as the city’s southern gateway closest to Almaty. The Golden district is designated as the hub of knowledge, healthcare, and innovation, with hospitals, technology centres, and educational institutions planned to accommodate up to 40,000 students. The Growing district will function as the industrial and logistics engine for export-oriented trade, incorporating clusters for food, chemicals, building materials, and light industry. The Green district, on the shores of Kapchagay Lake with the Kaskelen River flowing through it, will serve as the recreational and tourist zone. Architecturally, the city’s centrepiece will be the Iconic Towers complex, with one tower rising to 272 metres across 56 floors, designed by global architecture firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.
Alatau will be developed as a smart city under the principle of “digital by default,” encouraging residents and businesses to access goods and services online wherever possible while maintaining support for those who prefer traditional means. Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev informed parliament that testing of air taxis connecting Almaty and Alatau would begin this year, with public operations expected within two to three years and a projected flight time of 10 to 15 minutes. Extension of the Almaty metro system’s Green Line to eventually reach Alatau is also being planned. The Kazakh authorities expect the project to require around 10 trillion tenge, equivalent to approximately USD 20.8 billion, in investment by 2050, with up to one million jobs anticipated and four million tourists projected to visit the city annually. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed an order granting Alatau special status in September 2025, describing it as destined to become the country’s new centre of business activity and innovation.
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