Uploaded on 2017-05-31 by Madi Mukhametaliyev

The photo shows an old building constructed in 1970s but with a facade renovated in 2016. This is a good illustration of materials used in modern Kazakhstan and often imported from China. Alucobond, for instance, is a popular choice due to its presumably 'modern' look but also low price. On the background, the buildings of the same age are made of shell stone - a locally produced material that was heavily used in past. The reasons behind this shift in materials are related to integration and globalization processes. In 1990s, the dissolution of the Soviet Union resulted in an abruption of supply chains and collapse of many processing industries, including construction. Ever since then, Kazakhstan is relying on imported materials from more economically-diversified countries like China. This results in less employment opportunities and resilience of the local construction industry. In many cases, it also negatively affects quality of the buildings.