Naqsh School Launches Third Module on Proportion and Design

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Naqsh School of Crafts, a flagship project of the Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), has announced applications for the third module of its pilot-year program. The course will begin on 30 March in Tashkent and is designed for 15 participants.

The project is carried out in collaboration with The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts (KFSTA), established by King Charles III to preserve and promote traditional arts worldwide.

Naqsh School embodies Uzbekistan’s commitment to safeguarding and developing its rich cultural heritage, attracting attention both nationally and internationally.

The significance of the initiative was highlighted by the presence of Saida Mirzieyeva, head of the Presidential Administration, at the opening ceremony. Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov visited students during the first module in Samarkand, coinciding with the 43rd UNESCO General Conference—the first held outside Paris in 40 years.

The school is located in the new Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent and, with the support of KFSTA experts, has quickly become a benchmark for quality education. In the first two modules, students studied architectural proportions, geometric design, and biomorphic ornamentation, working on historically significant sites, including Ulugh Beg Madrasah in Registan.

Participants have described the program as transformative. One student said that understanding the connection between the techniques studied and centuries-old traditions of high artistic mastery moved him to tears. Architect Otabek Isoev emphasized the impact of the courses on the Me’mor group, which he founded to revive Uzbekistan’s architectural heritage using modern design technologies.

The third module, “Introduction to Proportion and Composition,” will introduce participants to principles of harmony in architecture and provide practical exercises, including constructing arch profiles and hand-painting monumental ornaments.

According to KFSTA director Dr. Khaled Azzam, the traditional ornament in the Naqsh project integrates mind, heart, and hands, reflecting cosmic order.

Collaboration with KFSTA also underscores cultural ties between Uzbekistan and King Charles III, who first visited the country in 1996 to study historical monuments, including Tillya Sheikh Mosque and Barak-Khan Madrasah.

Naqsh School plans to launch a full two-year program and aims to become a leading center for traditional arts education in Central Asia, preparing a new generation of artists, designers, and craftsmen to preserve Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage.

Applications for the third module are open at naqshschoolofcrafts.uz.