Almaty’s astonishingly intricate patterns

A post shared by almaty_patterns (@almaty_patterns) on Apr 22, 2017 at 10:43am PDT

Kazakh ornament has a long legacy and its intricate patterns have infiltrated all spheres of life, including the places you least expect. Instagram account @almaty_patterns brings together examples of such “concrete tapestries”, the elaborate motifs found on buildings in Almaty.

From fences to friezes, balconies to sophisticated manhole covers, from abstracted florals to geometric motifs, the project presents this traditional Kazakh design in all its glory.

You can read about the origins of Almaty’s architectural oranments here.