The company Bechu & Associates, with over a hundred years of experience, has won the international tender for the master plan of the new city of Khunnu, which will be located south of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Throughout its existence, the agency has established itself in the field of architectural design and urban planning.
The project announced in 2025 includes a long-term urban planning concept for an area of 31,503 hectares, located near Chinggis Khaan International Airport. The development of this area is planned for the period from 2025 to 2045.
This project is part of a broader territorial strategy for Mongolia, implemented within the framework of the General Plan for the Development of Ulaanbaatar until 2040 and the national program "Vision 2050". Khunnu will be positioned as a new major city that will help decentralize the population, diversify the economy, and ensure sustainable urban development.
The project, developed by Bechu & Associés in collaboration with IQP Italdesign, SOA Architecture, and an international group of consultants, proposes a regenerative and landscape-oriented model of the city that takes into account the ecological and cultural features of the Mongolian steppe.
Instead of a rigid urban structure, the project envisions a dynamic system capable of change and development over time. Inspired by the forms of traditional ger (yurt) and natural processes such as water flows, wind, and solar radiation, the plan organizes the city as a constellation of interconnected cells. This allows the city to adapt to extreme climatic conditions while providing flexibility in response to changes in the social and economic environment.
At the core of the city's concept are ring centers called "Aмьд Од," which translates to "stars of life." These centers play a key role in the social, cultural, and climatic life of the city. Each "Aмьд Од" complex integrates educational institutions, healthcare, cultural facilities, sports complexes, and transport infrastructure, creating comfortable public spaces adapted to climatic conditions.
These centers, designed for comfortable living in challenging climatic conditions, become social hubs that organize the surrounding residential and production areas, transitioning from dense construction to open spaces of the steppe.
The competition for the design of the city of Khunnu was organized in response to the existing problems of urbanization in Mongolia, including the high concentration of population and economic activity in Ulaanbaatar. Despite the vast spaces of the country, more than half of Mongolia's population lives in the capital, which creates pressure on infrastructure and natural resources. As part of the General Plan for the Development of Ulaanbaatar until 2040, a competition was initiated to create a new satellite city that could redistribute economic growth while considering climatic features and cultural heritage.
The geographical location of Khunnu, just 52 kilometers south of Ulaanbaatar, became an important aspect of the competition task, where emphasis was placed on transport accessibility and logistics, as well as cultural and environmental aspects.
The architectural company A. Bechu & Associés, operating for nearly a century, has deep roots in sustainable development. It actively develops projects in the fields of parametric design, new materials, and other innovative directions.
Tatar S.Maidar
source: MiddleAsianNews
