Street Named After Bassenov

One of Almaty streets was named after Toleu Kulchamanovich Bassenov. The street is situated to the south of Timiryazev street and to the west of Zharokov street.

Bassenov Toleu Kulchamanovich (1909-1976)

The first Kazakh professional architect, honored builder of the Kazakh SSR, associate member of the Architecture Academy of USSR, one of the first scientist-pedagogues in the field of architecture, the founder of the Kazakh Architectural School, the first chairman of the Association of Architects of Kazakhstan. Bassenov was the initiator of the first Architectural Faculty foundation in the republic.

He was born in Shalkar district of Aktobe region. Bassenov graduated the Leningrad Institute of Civil Engineers and started his labor activity in the Construction Department of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Kazakh SSR.

From 1933 to 1937 Bassenov worked in Zhambyl, Almaty and Kyrgyzstan, from 1937 to1941 – the chief architect of Almaty city, from 1944 to 1954 – the head of the Department of Architecture of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, from 1958 to 1976 – the deputy chairman of the State Construction Committee. He was one of the leaders of the Council of Architects of Kazakhstan.

Toleu Kulchamanovich - one of the architects who worked out the first general plan of Alma-Ata city development, the capital of Kazakhstan. He was the author, chief of project engineering and consultant of 25 architectural complexes and most of large buildings and constructions built in Kazakhstan, Moscow and other cities of the Soviet Union. The most large are the center of Almaty city and Lenin avenue (Dostyk avenue at the present time), the building of pavilion of Kazakh SSR in the VDNKh (Exhibition of Economic Achievements) of SSR in Moscow, community center in Aktobe, the first complex of Almaty airport, building of the Kazakh Opera and Ballet Theatre, architectural plan of Amangeldy Imanov monument, “Alatau” cinema and other residential buildings.

Bassenov projected Semipalatinsk meat-packing plant, Petropavlovsk chromium plant, objects of Turksib, Kant-Rybachye railway stations in Kyrgyz Republic. He was the leader of projects of Karaganda Culture Center and Sports Palace. He investigated architectural memorials and traditional historical buildings of Emba, Mangystau and Ustyurt regions. Bassenov is the author of the great number of monographs and scientific works, like “Ornament of Kazakhstan in Architecture”, “Architecture and Urban Development”.
Bassenov took active participation in preservation and restoration of architectural memorials of Kazakhstan. By his order the measurement of Aisha-Bibi mausoleum near Taraz city and the project of preservation of Ahmet Yasavi mausoleum in Turkestan were carried out.

One more outstanding contribution, made by T. Bassenov, became the creation of Different Specialties Department in the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute jointly with the group of architects in 1961. In the late of sixties on the base of this institute the Architectural Faculty was founded, which was reformed to the Architectural and Constructional Institute and later to the Academy. The best students of the State Academy of Architecture and Construction are awarded with diplomas and scholarships named for T. Bassenov since 1997.

Toleu Kulchamanovich always raised the problem of personnel education in the republic and he himself made a lot. His students are the famous specialists in the republic; among them are distinguished architects of Kazakhstan, they are Rustem Saidalin, Adambek Kapanov and others. Today many of them take part in the creation of new image of Astana capital.

In honor of T. Bassenov’s anniversary, the first architect of Kazakhstan, a 50 tenge coin was issued. Almat Bassenov, Toleu Bassenov’s grandson, is the author and designer of the commemorative coin. Now documentary is filming in the native land of the architect. The film makers are the broadcasters Imanbai Zhubayev and Bolat Nussipbekov, the work will be performed in Aktobe city and in Shalkar, Mugaldzhar and Alga regions.

Toleu Bassenov was awarded with the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and USSR medals “Labour Distinction” and “Valorous Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945”.

The source of this article is the site: http://biografia.kz/famous/4056