Housing in Tashkent
Paul Wright moved to Tashkent with his family in 2021. As the founding director of Charter Expat Services, he has helped many people find accommodations in Tashkent. In this article, he outlines the available housing options.
Housing in Tashkent is an exciting mixture of Central Asian, European, and Modern design. Often, very different styles and quality of housing are intermixed within a neighbourhood, with a mansion sharing a wall with a simple cottage or a modern high-rise soaring behind a four-story Soviet apartment. The way these different factors come together in Tashkent gives it a unique place among the world's capitals.
The earthquake in 1966 redefined Tashkent. At this time, the city mainly had mud-brick houses, which could not withstand the earthquake's force. In the wake of the tragedy, the government rebuilt Tashkent into a model Soviet city. Most of the two to five-story brick apartments come from this period. Some of them feature unique mosaics on the outside. Fifty years later, these buildings are showing their age, but many of the apartments have been nicely remodelled inside. These buildings are found in many of the most desirable areas in the city's centre since the town was much smaller then. Unfortunately, most of these buildings do not have elevators and are more likely to have issues with the plumbing and wiring due to their age.
In the 1980s, the city saw several more excellent apartments built, including the towers at Hamid Olimjon. However, large-scale building of modern high-rise apartments began when the nation elected President Mirziyoyev in 2016. Now, multiple new apartment complexes are opening each year. A few modern complexes have townhouses, but there is still a need for more in Tashkent. Two-level apartments are more common. While you can find new and old apartment complexes throughout the city, there are fewer new ones in the city centre since there was limited space left to build.
There is a similar amount of variety regarding houses in Tashkent. The older-style courtyard houses sit along the edge of the property, with an open courtyard in the middle. They are usually one-story dwellings but may occasionally have a second story over part of the house. In traditional courtyard houses, each room opens onto the courtyard and is not interconnected. More modern courtyard houses connect the living spaces, but you may need to access some utility rooms outside. More recently constructed houses have two- or three-story rectangular buildings with garden spaces either in front of or behind the house. Some of these newer houses have a garage or carport. Common to all houses is a large wall around the property's perimeter. Sometimes, the house makes up part of the wall, and sometimes, it is entirely within. Traditionally and among religious families today, the high fence allows women to unveil at home.
Understandably, there are few houses in the city centre, but Yakkasaray District has a good selection of homes close to the centre. There is also a lovely allotment of dwellings near the Buyuk Ipak Yoli Metro that are popular with foreigners.
It is difficult to label the interior design styles precisely, but most are generally referred to as European and feature ornate wallpaper, chandeliers, and heavy furniture. In contrast to this Rococo-like style, hi-tech design, with its cold, light colours, use of glass and metal materials, and avoidance of floral motifs, is becoming more popular and may be found in some newer buildings and remodels. Simple, minimalistic designs are difficult to find.
