Design firm Chapman Taylor are nearing completion on a 120,000sq m (1.3 million sq ft) entertainment, retail, leisure and dining destination in Azerbaijan a stretch of land reclaimed from the Caspian Sea.

The studio first designed the project as a convention centre in 2007. However, the development stalled following the completion of a larger convention centre by Coop Himmelblau, next to Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Centre.

In 2016, Chapman Taylor were asked to revisit the five-storey scheme, retaining the striking exterior design concept, but reimagining its purpose as a family entertainment and retail centre.

“Baku doesn’t have much in the way of family entertainment destinations, so this building, called the Caspian Waterfront, will serve a much-needed role for the city and the surrounding region,” said Tim Carran, a director at Chapman Taylor.

“The range of retail and leisure options on offer, particularly the world-class entertainment areas, will be very diverse and will create a very enjoyable environment for people of all generations. There will also be a lot of F&B provision, including outdoor restaurant terraces and a sky-bar, in which people can relax and look out at unrivalled views over the Caspian.”

Explaining the original exterior design concept, Carran added: “The brief from the client to create a landmark development on the Caspian Sea which would serve a similar role to the Sydney Opera House in how it related to the waterfront – a sculptural form with a series of shell roofs which would reflect in the water and look impressive when illuminated at night.

“We realised, as the design process progressed, that, if we were going to create a symbolic building, we should take the country’s national emblem and create it as a physical building form.”

The building will feature an eight angled glass façade, inspired by the eight-pointed star on Azerbaijan’s national flag.

“The Azeris are a very nationally proud people – it’s a young country – and they are inspired by the way in which such a prominent building designed for public use has been built to serve as a national icon,” said Carran.

The project is scheduled to open later this year.

Chapman Taylor are known for their large-scale leisure schemes. They are currently masterplanning two large-scale leisure destinations in Iran and a vast resort on the Vietnamese coast. Recently completed projects include the Westgate shopping complex in Oxford and one of the world’s largest retail schemes in Shanghai, China.