Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan (ACDF) has introduced two new books—Tashkent: A Modernist Capital (published by Rizzoli New York) and Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI (published by Lars Müller)—offering the first comprehensive exploration of the capital’s unique modernist architectural heritage.

Both books are part of the large-scale research project Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI, initiated by ACDF and carried out by an international team of experts, including GRACE, Politecnico di Milano, Boris Chukhovich, Armin Linke, and Laboratorio Permanente. As a result of the project, 20 buildings in Tashkent have already been granted national heritage status.

Tashkent: A Modernist Capital presents readers with exclusive photographs of 24 iconic buildings taken by Karel Balas, along with a foreword by Chris Dercon, art historian and general director of Fondation Cartier. A key essay by Béatrice Grenier highlights the architectural characteristics of structures built from the 1960s to the early 1990s.

Published by Lars Müller, Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI—edited by Boris Chukhovich, Davide Del Curto, and Ekaterina Golovatyuk—is the result of a three-year research project. The book features analytical essays, monographic studies, and strategies for preserving Tashkent’s modernist heritage. Notably, it includes an interview with world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas and a photography project by Armin Linke.

The Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI project was conceived following the demolition of the iconic House of Cinema in Tashkent in 2017.

Faced with the urgent need to protect architectural heritage, ACDF assembled an international team of architects, historians, and preservation specialists. As a result, the project has secured national heritage status for 20 buildings and 154 mosaic panels across Uzbekistan. Efforts are currently underway to include Tashkent’s modernist landmarks on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

ACDF Chairperson Gayane Umerova emphasized: “The Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI project is unprecedented. It brings together experts, activists, and government institutions to drive meaningful changes in the preservation and study of architectural heritage. These new books will help draw attention to Tashkent’s overlooked modernist architecture and enhance interest in Uzbekistan’s rich cultural legacy.”

A key milestone for the project will be the participation of GRACE, the coordinating architectural bureau for Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI, as the curator of Uzbekistan’s pavilion at the Biennale Architettura 2025 in Venice.