Project profile: Shusha masterplan

The redevelopment of Shusha is one of the most significant urban regeneration and reconstruction projects currently underway in Azerbaijan. The masterplan seeks to restore the city’s role as a major cultural capital while creating a sustainable, resilient and future-focused urban environment rooted in heritage, identity and placemaking.

Located within the dramatic mountainous landscape of Karabakh, Shusha has long held deep cultural significance for Azerbaijan, recognised historically for its poetry, music, art and architecture. Our masterplan responds to this unique context by carefully balancing restoration, regeneration and modern infrastructure within a cohesive long-term vision for the city’s future.

Rebuilding a historic cultural capital

Chapman Taylor was appointed by the Azerbaijan State Committee of Urban Planning and Architecture to prepare a new masterplan for Shusha. 

The masterplan respects and evolves Shusha’s historic street pattern while introducing a contemporary framework for sustainable urban growth. Designed to accommodate approximately 25,000 residents, the plan creates 12 distinct districts organised around public spaces, cultural destinations, housing, tourism and civic infrastructure.

Rather than imposing a generic urban model, the strategy focuses on reinforcing the city’s cultural and architectural character through locally inspired materials, traditional forms and carefully considered public realm design.

A heritage-led urban vision

A defining principle of the project is its heritage-led approach to regeneration. Chapman Taylor’s design strategy aims to preserve and celebrate Shusha’s architectural and cultural legacy while supporting contemporary lifestyles and future economic growth.

The architecture throughout the masterplan draws inspiration from local building traditions, stone materials and the city’s historic urban grain. Public spaces and streets have been designed to encourage walkability, cultural activity and social interaction while maintaining strong visual relationships with the surrounding mountain landscape.

Particular attention has been given to restoring the city’s High Street and civic core, ensuring these areas continue to function as important social and cultural gathering spaces. The regeneration strategy combines restored heritage buildings with carefully integrated contemporary interventions to create a cohesive and enduring urban environment.

Design for Good: A sustainable and walkable future

The Shusha Masterplan has been conceived as a smart, green and walkable “15-minute city”, where residents and visitors can access daily services, public amenities and cultural destinations within a compact and highly connected urban framework.

Modern infrastructure, sustainable mobility systems and high-quality public realm are integrated throughout the city to improve connectivity and long-term liveability. Landscape design and environmental strategies also play a major role in reinforcing Shusha’s relationship with its natural setting while supporting ecological resilience and tourism opportunities.

The project aims to create a city capable of enduring for generations, combining environmental responsibility with cultural continuity and economic sustainability.

Tourism, culture and public life

Shusha’s extraordinary mountain setting and cultural history position it as one of Azerbaijan’s most important tourism destinations. Our masterplan strengthens this role by integrating hotels, cultural institutions, public squares, pedestrian routes and access to surrounding mountain trails and landscapes.

The project envisions Shusha once again becoming a centre for arts, music, hospitality and cultural exchange, reinforcing its historic reputation as one of the cultural capitals of the Caucasus. Public spaces throughout the city have been designed to support festivals, events, performances and everyday civic life.

A city reborn

Currently under construction, the redevelopment of Shusha represents one of the largest and most ambitious regeneration projects in the region. The project demonstrates our design expertise in large-scale masterplanning, heritage-led urban regeneration and culturally responsive design.

By combining restoration, sustainability and contemporary placemaking within a single long-term vision, our design work in Shusha seeks not only to rebuild a city, but to restore civic identity, cultural continuity and public life for future generations.