Fundamental Architects and Omega Render have envisioned a building spanning a river in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, with a hole in the middle to make it look like the national flag.
Rotterdam-based Fundamental Architects and visualisation studio Omega Render produced the design for BI Group, Kazakhstan's largest developer.
Named Tower of the Sun, it is one of three designs that the developer is considering for the site.

The 75,000 square-metre-building is proposed for a site near the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in central Astana. It would be built across the Ishim river, with the lower level becoming a public pedestrian and cyclist bridge.
A large hole, which is designed to represent the sun in the Kazakhstan flag, would be cut from the centre of the 121-metre-tall block. "The building shape took its inspiration from the national flag of Kazakhstan ? a blue rectangular canvas with a yellow circle in the centre," said Vladimir Konovalov of Fundamental Architects.

The hole in the middle would also serve a function ? it would maintain views of the palace from the nearby highway.

"The building is strategically positioned on the view line between the main highway and the palace, so while driving on a highway we do not block the view towards the Presidential Palace," Konovalov told Dezeen.
"It is still visible though a circle opening in the tower, which represents a sun ? an important symbol in Kazakh culture and traditions," he said.

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