Chicago architects Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture have won the International Design Competition for Expo 2017 in Kazakhstan’s capital.

AS+GG beat off competition from more than 100 companies around the world, including Zaha Hadid Architets and GMP International.

The theme of the Expo in Astana is Future Energy: finding ways to achieve qualitative changes in the energy sector, primarily for the development of alternative sources of energy and new ways of transportation.

AS+GG’s Third Industrial Revolution community design will make the Expo buildings become generators of power and energy will be stored using innovative technologies, while being distributed by a smart grid.

“The forms and language of the buildings are designed to reduce their energy needs and operate as power plants that harness energy from the sun and/or wind,” says partner, Gordon Gill.

After the Expo, the buildings will be converted into an office and research park and integrated neighbourhoods with local markets, civic and educational facilities.

“The crucial difference of this project is that it is not a demonstration, Expo 2017 will form the basis of a truly sustainable community that will serve as a legacy for Astana and Kazakhstan,” says AS+GG partner, Robert Forest.

Eco features include covered ways linking amenities, which will encourage pedestrianism, a smart recycled water grid and interseasonal underground thermal energy storage.