Khan Shatyr: Astana’s Iconic Tent Where Summer Lasts All Year
Rising like a sculptural dune on the steppe, Khan Shatyr is the landmark that announces you’ve arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital. Opened in 2010 and designed by Foster + Partners, this soaring, tent-like entertainment center brings together shopping, dining, and leisure beneath a single translucent canopy. The structure’s dramatic profile is more than a visual statement: it houses a carefully controlled microclimate that turns the city’s sharp continental weather into a perpetually pleasant “indoors-outdoors” experience.
The building’s envelope is made from ETFE, a high-performance, light-transmitting membrane stretched over a web of steel cables. At up to 150 meters high with a 200-meter elliptical base, the tent captures natural light while shielding visitors from winter lows and summer highs. Inside, the design reads like a compact city: landscaped walkways, bridges, and a meandering “river” guide you through international brands and local boutiques, casual cafés and destination restaurants, mini-golf and family attractions.
At the summit you’ll find Sky Beach Club, an indoor resort complete with warm sand, palms, and pools set to balmy temperatures year-round. It’s an unexpected slice of the tropics, and a favorite with families looking to swim in February or simply bask under the ETFE “sky.” Come evening, the canopy glows in shifting tones, turning the structure into a beacon on the skyline and a popular backdrop for photos.
Khan Shatyr sits on Astana’s modern axis among other contemporary landmarks, but it stands apart for its blend of engineering and everyday life. Whether you come for a weekend promenade, to shop and dine, or to lounge on an all-season beach under a starlit roof, the “king of tents” distills the city’s ambition into a single, memorable place.
