The Department of Architecture was founded in 1995 on the basis of the Tselinograd Engineering and Construction Institute. Initially, discipline “Architecture” were taught in the framework of the Department of Building Structures for engineers specializing in “Industrial and Civil Engineering”. However, with the growing interest in architectural education and the increasing need for qualified specialists, in 1995 it was decided to create a structural subdivision “Architecture” Department.
In the same year, 1995, in parallel with the Department of “Architecture”, the Department of “Foundations of Architectural Design” was created in connection with the opening of the specialty 0620-“Architecture” at the Akmola Engineering and Construction Institute. Head of the department was candidate of architecture, Professor Chikanaev Amanzhol Shaimerdenovich, who was invited to this post from the Akmola Agrarian Institute In 1996 - 1997 academic year, the order of the Rector of the Institute, this department was merged with the existing "Architecture" Department. The head of the new department was сandidate of Architecture, Associate Professor Duisebayev Ulkairbek Duisebaevich. The staff of the department increased to 13 teachers. Since 1998, the department began training students on specialty 0613 "Design of the architectural environment" and the department received a new name "Architecture and Design".
The period from 1999 to 2008 is related to the activities of the head of Chekaeva Rahima Usmanovna, candidate of architecture, a professor, an honorary architect of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and corresponding member of the International Academy of Architecture of the East. Her contribution to the expansion of the teaching staff of the department, the improvement of its qualitative of staff by experienced experts as architects, designers, artists were invaluable.
With the arrival in 2003 of the famous Kazakh architect Zhandarbek Malibekuly (author of the Emblem of the Republic of Kazakhstan) a new qualitative level was acquired by the teaching of profile disciplines in the Kazakh language. At various times, the department invited Doctors of Architecture, professors, and honorable architects of the Republic of Kazakhstan E.K. Duysebai (in 2006) and K.K. Arynov (in 2011).
From 2008 to 2020, the department was headed by сandidate of architecture, professor, honorary architect of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sadykova Sarah Shangereevna.
From 2021 to 2023, the department was headed by honorary architect of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhaksylykova Leyla Adilkhanovna, from september 2023, PhD Dr. Saurbayeva Assemgul Muratovna. During this period, the PhD doctoral program 8D07320 — "Architecture" was opened at the department.
Since 2024, the Department of Architecture has been headed by doctor of architecture, professor, honorary architect of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Academician of the National Academy of Design Arynov Kaldybai Kanayuly.
Currently, the Department of Architecture is a graduate and provides training for specialists in the following educational programs in kazakh, russian and english:
Bachelor's degree 6B07320–“Architecture of residential and public buildings”; 6B07321–“Energy-efficient design of buildings and constructions”, 5 years of study;
Master's degree 7M07320-“Architecture”, 2 years of study;
PhD doctoral program 8D07320 - Architecture, 3 years of study.
The department actively conducts scientific research (R&D) and student scientific research (NIRS). Students, under the guidance of scientists, experienced teachers engaged in scientific work, and participate in scientific conferences and festivals of various levels in Kazakhstan and abroad, and the scientific results obtained are used in graduation projects. Scientific papers of teachers and students are published in the University Bulletin and other publications. Diploma projects on topics relevant to the country win prizes at international and national competitions and are exhibited at professional exhibitions.
Graduates of the Architecture department are in demand every year in the rapidly developing domestic architectural and construction market, especially in cities such as Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Turkestan, Karaganda, Aktau, Atyrau, etc., where there is an active growth in the volume and quality of architectural construction.
The contingent of students of the department is 1250 people, including bachelor's degree - 1205 students, master's degree – 43 master students, doctoral degree - 2 doctoral students.
The teaching staff of the department has high qualification. Currently, the department employs 28 full-time faculty members, whose scientific potential includes: 2 doctors of architecture, 6 PhD doctors and 7 candidates of architecture. In addition, to improve the level of theoretical and practical training of students, 17 practitioners from architectural and design organizations are involved in the educational process.
The creative potential of the department is 2 honored architects of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, 7 honorary architects of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 1 Academician of the National Academy of Design, 1 corresponding member of the International Academy of Architecture of the East, 11 members of the Union of Architects of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 6 members of the Union of Urban Developers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2 members of the Union of Designers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 3 members of the Eurasian Union of Designers and 1 member of the Union of Artists of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as 3 holders of the grant "Best University Teacher".
The department is international relations are expanding. An agreement was reached on close cooperation with the Departments of Architecture of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tyumen, etc. Scientific and creative relations and agreements have been established with MARCHI, Tyumen Industrial University, Krakow Polytechnic University (Poland), BNTU (Republic of Belarus, Minsk) on student exchange and summer internships. There are initiative topics for preparation for the Candidate of Sciences and Doctor of Sciences. Ties with related faculties of Kazakhstan remain traditional: the Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering (KazGASA) and the D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University, the Samarkand State Architecture and Construction Institute, and the Tashkent Polytechnic University.
The practice of the Department of Architecture, where there are already master classes - branches of the department in design firms and organizations such as “Orta”, “Astanagenplan”, and “Sanar”, has also shown that such long-term cooperation is beneficial to both sides.
