ZHA Masterplan Weaves Baku Expo City Through Preserved Pine Forest
Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed its masterplan for Baku Expo City, a 198-hectare development in Azerbaijan’s capital that keeps 92 percent of the site’s 18,000 existing trees. The forest anchors a new urban district, with residential zones arranged as interconnected neighborhoods and connected by walking and cycling routes. A central square near an extension to the Baku Expo Center will bring together cultural venues, cafés, a Congress Hall, and a hotel. Building placement is driven by wind-comfort analysis, shielding outdoor spaces from the Khazri and Gilavar winds. Every rooftop will be green, aiding stormwater management and cooling. The design also dovetails with Baku’s 2030 transport strategy, including the Bakikhanov–Bina–Gala rail upgrade.
Key facts
- Baku Expo City masterplan covers 198 hectares in Baku, Azerbaijan.
- 92 percent of the site's 18,000 existing trees will be preserved.
- Residential areas are arranged as interconnected neighborhoods within the forest.
- A central public square will include cultural venues, cafés, and a new Congress Hall.
- Buildings are positioned as windbreaks using pedestrian wind comfort analysis.
- Baku is known as the City of Winds, with Khazri and Gilavar winds.
- Every rooftop will feature green roofs for insulation, stormwater filtration, and reuse.
- The masterplan connects to Baku's 2030 transport strategy, including the Bakikhanov–Bina–Gala rail line upgrade.
Entities
Institutions
- Zaha Hadid Architects
- Baku Expo Center
Locations
- Baku
- Azerbaijan
- Caspian Sea
- Iranian plateau